Citrinin is a toxic fungal metabolite (mycotoxins) produced by some moulds of the genera Penicillium, Aspergillus and Monascus growing on certain food commodities, especially cereals and fruit.
It was one of the first mycotoxins to be isolated as a pure compound from a culture of Penicillium citrinum in 1931.
Citrinin exhibits a number of toxic effects in animals and its presence in food is undesirable. It is likely to degraded by heat and alkali.
Citrinin is a relatively small molecule (C13H14O5) an is slightly soluble in water. Citrinin often occurs in conjunction with ochratoxin A, another mycotoxins capable of altering renal function.
Citrinin causes kidney damage and mild liver damage in the form of fatty infiltration.
Citrinin was one of the causes of yellow rice mycotoxicosis in Japan and was implicated in porcine endemic nephropathy, which also involved ochratoxin.
Although citrinin is an important mycotoxins, particularly targeting the kidney, there are no international regulations specifically for it in foods.
What is Citrinin?
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