Effect of dietary macronutrients on aflatoxicosis: a mini‐review

Zainuddin Nurul Adilah, Sabran Mohd Redzwan

Aflatoxin is a toxin produced by Aspergillus species of fungi. The main route of aflatoxin exposure is through the diet. Indeed, the long term aflatoxin exposure is linked to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Aflatoxin causes aflatoxicosis, which can be affected by several factors and it is prevalent in many developing Asian and African countries. This mini review discussed the effects of carbohydrates, fat and protein on aflatoxicosis based on findings from animal and human studies. It was found that high carbohydrate intake enhanced aflatoxicosis occurrence, while low ingestion of carbohydrate with caloric restriction slowed the symptoms associated with aflatoxicosis. Additionally, diets with low protein content worsened the symptoms related to HCC due to aflatoxin exposure. Nevertheless, a study reported that high protein diet favored detoxification of aflatoxin in vivo. There were also conflicting results on the influence of dietary fats as high ingestion of fat enhanced aflatoxicosis development as compared to the low fat diet. Moreover, the types of fat also play a significant role that influence aflatoxin toxicity. In regard to food safety, understanding the influence of macronutrients toward the progression of aflatoxicosis can improve the preventive measures to prevent humans and animals exposure to aflatoxin.