Zearalenone: properties and experimental toxicity.

Zearalenone is the main mycotoxin produced by Fusarium graminearum. It resi sts to most of the treatments operated during the manufacture of food. When administrated orally it is well absorbed and is able to reach intracellula r targets. Its metabolism is complex, dominated by reactions of conjugation s considered as detoxification pathways and reactions of reductions which c orrespond to a biological activation. Urinary and biliary excretion of the mycotoxin and metabolites occur, with a possible entero-hepatic cycle. Milk excretion is also observed. Acute toxicity of zearalenone is weak. It prov okes reproductive disorders after competitive fixation to the intracellular receptors of estrogens. This fixation increases the synthesis of ARN and p roteins and induces cellular proliferation which increases the mass of orga ns. These properties explain the use of some derivates as anabolic. Althoug h it is not genotoxic, zearalenone is carcinogenic in animal. For lack of e pidemiological data, no evaluation of its carcinogenicity in human has been proposed. The estimation of the DJA and the calculation of average intakes reveal that human exposure to this mycotoxin must not be ignored.