Patulin: Its toxicity and possible contamination of products used in baby nutrition

Patulin is a secondary metabolite produced by molds such as Penicillium, Aspergillus and Byssochlamys. Mainly patulin may be present in many foods including baby foods, fruits (especially apple) and apple-based products. Severity of patulin toxicity is correlated with the amount of consumed fruit products. Therefore, daily amount of consumption of these products is very important in infants and children who are vulnerable to toxic effects. In recent years, many studies on this field showed that patulin levels in fruit-based products were higher than the limit of provisional maximum tolerable daily intake. In this review, the major toxic effects of patulin, the limits in baby foods, and the approaches for prevention of formation of patulin have been summarized in the light of current literature knowledge.