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Dietary exposure to fumonisins and evaluation of nutrient intake in a group of adult celiac patients on a gluten-free diet.
Mol Nutr Food Res. 2012 Apr ;56(4):632-40. PMID: 22495987
Department of Organic and Industrial Chemistry, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
SCOPE: The main objectives of this study were to estimate dietary fumonisin exposure and nutrient intake in a group of patients diagnosed with celiac disease compared to non-celiac subjects.
METHODS AND RESULTS: The fumonisin level in 118 frequently consumed corn-based products was determined and dietary habits were recorded using a 7-day weighed food record. Data were then compared to those obtained for a control group. The fumonisin intake in the celiac patients was significantly higher than in controls, with mean values (± SE) of 0.395 ± 0.049 and 0.029 ± 0.006 μg/kg body weight per day, respectively. With regard to nutritional habits, celiac patients showed a preference for a high fat diet, coupled with a high intake of sweets and soft drinks and a low intake of vegetables, iron, calcium and folate.
CONCLUSION: These findings may have serious health implications for the celiac population due to the widespread occurrence of fumonisins in most of the widely consumed gluten-free products, leading to continuous exposure to this particular mycotoxin. Moreover, the recorded nutritional quality of the celiac patient's diet raises concerns regarding its long-term adequacy and its potential impact on chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
