Citrinin

Citrinin is a toxin fungal metabolite ‘mycotoxin’ produced by some moulds of the genera Penicillium, Aspergillus and Monascus growing on certain food commodities, especially cereals and fruit.

Citrinin was isolated as a pure compound from a culture of Penicillium citrinium in 1931 by Hetherington and Raistrick. Many species of Penicillium have been reported to produce citrinin, including P. verrucosum.

Citrinin exhibits a number of toxic effects in animals and its presence in food is undesirable. Citrinin has mainly been found in rice and other cereals.

Citrinin has been found on Indian groundnuts infected with A. flavus, P. citrinum and A. terreus.
Citrinin often occurs in conjunction with ochratoxin A, another mycotoxin capable of altering renal function.

Citrinin is a relatively small molecule (C13H14O5) and is slightly soluble in water. Under long wave UV light, it fluoresces lemon yellow. It is known carcinogen.
Citrinin

What is Citrinin?

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?