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Naturally Occurring Toxicants in Food

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Adverse Effects of Foods

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Abstract

It is quite obvious that foods contain large numbers of constituents, some of which are of little nutritive value for the consumer. Some components, however, not only lack nutritive value, but interfere with other constituents and reduce their nutritive value. They may, therefore, be termed antinutritive factors. The effects of such antinutrients can be manifold. In one situation, the substances interfere with the uptake or metabolism of certain nutrients, which may result in disturbances in the normal physiological function in man. The occurrence of certain oligosaccharides in some legumes may thus result in problems such as flatulence. Thyroid deficiency induced by glucosinolates occurring in plants of the genus Brassica, which interfere with the thyroid hormone production, is another example, where the antimetabolic effect is more pronounced. Toxicants produced by various microorganisms which induce intensive diarrhea, and the carcinogenic effect of certain mycotoxins are examples of more potent factors occurring in natural foods that have been contaminated in one or another way. The most potent toxicants of all are reported to occur as normal constituents in some mushrooms.

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  1. Institute of Nutrition, University of Uppsala, P.O. Box 551, S-751 22, Uppsala, Sweden

    Leif Hambraeus (Faculty of Medicine)

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  1. Population, Family and International Health Division, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California, 90024, USA

    E. F. Patrice Jelliffe  & Derrick B. Jelliffe  & 

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Hambraeus, L. (1982). Naturally Occurring Toxicants in Food. In: Jelliffe, E.F.P., Jelliffe, D.B. (eds) Adverse Effects of Foods. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3359-3_2

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