Mycotoxins in fruits and fruit-based products: occurrence and methods for decontamination

Mycotoxin contamination in fruits and their industrialized products is a serious concern for the human health. Patulin and ochratoxin A are the most frequent mycotoxins that contamine apples, grapes, pears, peach, apricots, nectarines, and strawberries, among others. Physical, chemical, and biological methods may be used to completely inactivate or remove of these mycotoxins in the food products. This paper reviews the recent data on the occurrence of patulin and ochratoxin A in fruits, juices, and other derived products including wine, as well as the methods that have been proposed for decontamination of these products.