spoiled food and attacks resembling epilepsy - Page 1

Earlier studies have shown that Penicillium mould often occurs in food and fodder stored in temperate conditions. In Norway, there have been examples of waste food considerably contaminated with Penicillium crustosum. This mould produces penitrems which can have serious toxic effects on the nervous system.

Little is known about how these substances affect the body, especially the brain. Even though there are documented cases of penitrem-induced neurological diseases in both humans and animals, diseases of this kind are probably underdiagnosed. This is because the observable symptoms can be mistaken for those of other neurological diseases, methods of analysis are poor and toxicological and pharmacological expertise is unavailable.

During recent years, more than 10 cases of dogs with attacks resembling epilepsy and impaired motor function have been reported at The Norwegian Veterinary Institute. The common denominator was that all the dogs had eaten food or food waste contaminated with the mould fungus Penicillium crustosum. Angel Moldes used chemical and mycological samples from these dogs in his doctoral project, which has studied the effect of penitrem A on the brain and what happens to the toxin in the body.