Sterigmatocystin an emerging mycotoxin – a comprehensive review

Abstract

Background: Sterigmatocystin (STC) is an indoor air and food mycotoxin contaminant, which formed by several fungal genera, most notably Aspergillus species. It is responsible for human esophageal, gastric and lung cancer.  It is grouped as Group 2B carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), STC shares structural and biosynthetic similarities with aflatoxin B1, underscoring its toxicological relevance. Global climate change has expanded the occurrence of STC beyond tropical regions into temperate zones, raising significant food safety concerns.

Amis: This review consolidates current knowledge on STC occurrence in food, feed, and indoor air, its biosynthesis, methods of isolation and detection, biological activities, and toxicological effects.

Methods: The literature review was conducted using two major scientific databases, PubMed and Google Scholar. The keyword “sterigmatocystin” was applied to retrieve relevant publications, and articles were selected for citation based on the significance of the information they provided.

Results: Analytical advances such as LC-MS/MS, High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS), and biosensor technologies have improved detection sensitivity, while biological detoxification strategies using lactic acid bacteria show promise in mitigating contamination. Despite these developments, gaps remain in understanding STC’s toxicological mechanisms, transmission in food chains, and regulatory thresholds.

Conclusion: This work stresses the need for sustained research to illuminate STC’s health risks and to establish effective preventive strategies.