zearalenone
zearalenone
Overview
Zearalenone (ZEN) is a mycotoxin produced by certain fungi and is best known for its strong estrogenic activity. It is a food- and feed-contaminating compound of major toxicological concern, particularly in cereal-based commodities such as corn and stored grains. Because of its endocrine-disrupting properties, zearalenone can interfere with reproductive physiology and has also been associated in recent research contexts with broader toxicological concerns, including potential effects on liver and kidney function, immune responses, and carcinogenicity.
Biologically, zearalenone is important not as a therapeutic agent but as a hazardous contaminant that drives the development of detection, detoxification, and mitigation strategies. It is often studied alongside other mycotoxins such as Aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A, especially in food safety surveillance, storage studies, and analytical method development. Its Metabolites are also relevant, since they may contribute to the overall estrogenic or toxic burden in contaminated samples, including complex matrices such as cannabidiol-containing oils and dry herbs used for tea preparation.
Focus of Latest Publications
Recent publications on zearalenone have focused on both improved detection and mitigation of this mycotoxin, as well as on its occurrence in food and feed matrices. Several studies developed highly sensitive biosensing platforms for zearalenone determination, including an electrochemiluminescence aptasensor that combined single-atom nanozyme catalysis with a CRISPR-Cas12a/HCR cascade, and a fluorescence biosensor integrating a blocked primer exchange reaction with catalytic hairpin assembly and CRISPR/Cas12a trans-cleavage. These assays were designed to simplify analysis while increasing sensitivity and specificity, with reported detection limits in the sub-ng/mL range and broad linear ranges suitable for trace screening.
Other publications examined zearalenone contamination in foods and dietary exposure. In edible vegetable oils sampled in Korea, zearalenone was detected in most samples and exposure estimates remained well below the tolerable daily intake across lower-, middle-, and upper-bound scenarios. In dry herbs used for tea preparation, zearalenone was the most frequently detected mycotoxin, but chronic dietary risk assessment for total zearalenone indicated no health concern for consumers, with estimated intakes not exceeding 5% of the established PMTDI/TDI.
Research also addressed zearalenone detoxification and biological transformation. An engineered multicopper oxidase from Bacillus megaterium showed improved thermostability and enhanced zearalenone degradation activity, and LC-MS/MS indicated conversion to less toxic derivatives; zebrafish and Ames assays supported reduced toxicity and mutagenicity of the products. In stored rice grains, Bacillus subtilis RG01 suppressed zearalenone accumulation alongside other mycotoxins, suggesting a biocontrol approach for grain storage. In addition, zearalenone-14-glucoside was reported to form a self-assembled supramolecular gel that slowly released zearalenone and produced stronger tissue toxicity than zearalenone itself, linked to cytochrome P450 depletion.
One study also identified zearalenone, including metabolites, as a hazardous compound in cannabidiol-containing oils through effect-directed non-target screening and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Together, these publications highlight ongoing work on zearalenone as a contaminant of concern, with emphasis on ultrasensitive detection, exposure assessment, detoxification strategies, and the toxicological behavior of modified forms.