- Email: [email protected]
The toxicology of aflatoxins: Human health, veterinary, and agricultural significance
368
Book Reviews
formed the basis for discussion. However, the comparative nutrition approach used in this book suffers from the disadvantage that less information is available on any particular species that the reader may be interested in. A better index would have done much to alleviate this problem. I was very impressed with Wildlife Feeding and Nutrition and would consider it a ‘must’ for those with an interest in wildlife nutrition. The text will be useful for university students in wildlife courses and programs, teachers of biology and wildlife management, zoo keepers, game ranchers, and veterinarians. Nutritionists working with traditional species would also benefit from this book, and the comparative information would add much to many courses in monogastric and ruminant nutrition. GARY W. MATI-IISON Department
of Agricultural,
Food and Nutritional Science University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2P5 Canada
PII SO377-8401(97)00021-7
The Toxicology of Aflatoxins: Human Health, Veterinary, and Agricultural Significance. The Toxicology
of Ajlatoxins:
Human Health, Veterinary, and Agricultural
Significance.
D.L. Eaton and J.D. Groopman (Editors), Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 1994, 544 pp., hard cover, US$149.00, ISBN-12-228255-g. The editors point out that over the past 30 years, more than 8000 research articles on aflatoxins have been published, and that “knowledge of chemistry, biochemistry, toxicology, and epidemiology of aflatoxins is far greater than that for any other environmentally occurring chemical carcinogen. Indeed, it is possible to consider the studies of aflatoxin as a template for researching other environmental carcinogens. Toward this end, we have attempted to bring together as comprehensive a group of scientists as possible in assembling this book”. Key features of the book include the inclusion of the molecular mechanism of aflatoxin toxicity, and issues concerning analysis, regulation, economics and toxicology related to aflatoxin contamination. David Eaton is from the Department of Environmental Health, University of Washington, and John Groopman is from the Department of Health Sciences, John Hopkins University, in the USA. The Toxicology of Aflatoxins: Human Health, Veterinary, and Agricultural Sign@ cance contains 23 chapters. Part 1 (10 chapters) deals with the experimental toxicology
of aflatoxins, and includes chapters on hepatotoxicity, biochemical mechanisms, biotransformations, pharmakinetics, nonhepatic disposition and the effects of aflatoxin B 1, carcinogenicity to nonmammalian organisms, role in DNA adducts in cancer, induction
Book Reviews
369
of mutations, carcinogenesis in the context of the multistage nature of cancer, and the nutritional modulation of aflatoxin carcinogenesis. Three chapters in Part 2 are concerned with the epidemiology of aflatoxin-related disease, dosimetry methods for assessing human exposure, and strategies for chemoprotection. Agricultural and veterinary problems are outlined in five chapters in Part 3. In particular, factors relating to aflatoxin contamination of crops, mycological aspects of aflatoxin formation, veterinary diseases, aflatoxins in milk, and methods of reducing aflatoxins in feeds are examined. Part 4 contains three chapters dealing with the analytical identification of aflatoxins. In the final two chapters in Part 5, the economic and regulatory aspects of aflatoxins are discussed. Reference sections at the end of each chapter are included as sources of additional information. Figures are well done and the index will be useful. It is a well-written book, containing a wealth of information on many aspects of the problem of aflatoxins. Of particular value to me was the information on the mechanism of aflatoxin action in the body, since this information does not often appear when aflatoxins are being discussed in an agricultural context. Information concerning interactions between diet and susceptibility to aflatoxin toxicity is intriguing, and there was good discussion on aflatoxins in milk and methods of reducing aflatoxins in feeds. Even though coverage was adequate, I would have liked more information on the response of agricultural animals to dietary aflatoxins. Professionals concerned with food safety need this book. It will be a good reference text for animal and human nutritionists since it covers all aspects of the aflatoxin problem. It may not, however, satisfy those who are looking for an exhaustive and complete treatise on the effects of aflatoxins on animal production.
Department
of Agricultural,
GARY W. MATHISON Food and Nutritional Science Uniuersity of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2P5 Canada
PII SO377-8401(97)00022-9
Forage tree legumes in tropical agriculture Forage tree legumes in tropical agriculture, R.C. Gutteridge and H.M. Shelton (Eds.), CAB International, Oxon, UK, 1994, 389 pp., softback, US$ 46.50, ISBN O-85 198868-7. This book is intended to provide an introduction to forage tree legumes and their role in sustainable agricultural systems. The book arose from training courses conducted in 1990 and 1992 by scientists from the University of Queensland, Queensland Department of Primary Industries, and the Queensland Forest Service in Australia, and which were attended by participants from over 20 countries. The material in the training courses was
Book Reviews
formed the basis for discussion. However, the comparative nutrition approach used in this book suffers from the disadvantage that less information is available on any particular species that the reader may be interested in. A better index would have done much to alleviate this problem. I was very impressed with Wildlife Feeding and Nutrition and would consider it a ‘must’ for those with an interest in wildlife nutrition. The text will be useful for university students in wildlife courses and programs, teachers of biology and wildlife management, zoo keepers, game ranchers, and veterinarians. Nutritionists working with traditional species would also benefit from this book, and the comparative information would add much to many courses in monogastric and ruminant nutrition. GARY W. MATI-IISON Department
of Agricultural,
Food and Nutritional Science University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2P5 Canada
PII SO377-8401(97)00021-7
The Toxicology of Aflatoxins: Human Health, Veterinary, and Agricultural Significance. The Toxicology
of Ajlatoxins:
Human Health, Veterinary, and Agricultural
Significance.
D.L. Eaton and J.D. Groopman (Editors), Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 1994, 544 pp., hard cover, US$149.00, ISBN-12-228255-g. The editors point out that over the past 30 years, more than 8000 research articles on aflatoxins have been published, and that “knowledge of chemistry, biochemistry, toxicology, and epidemiology of aflatoxins is far greater than that for any other environmentally occurring chemical carcinogen. Indeed, it is possible to consider the studies of aflatoxin as a template for researching other environmental carcinogens. Toward this end, we have attempted to bring together as comprehensive a group of scientists as possible in assembling this book”. Key features of the book include the inclusion of the molecular mechanism of aflatoxin toxicity, and issues concerning analysis, regulation, economics and toxicology related to aflatoxin contamination. David Eaton is from the Department of Environmental Health, University of Washington, and John Groopman is from the Department of Health Sciences, John Hopkins University, in the USA. The Toxicology of Aflatoxins: Human Health, Veterinary, and Agricultural Sign@ cance contains 23 chapters. Part 1 (10 chapters) deals with the experimental toxicology
of aflatoxins, and includes chapters on hepatotoxicity, biochemical mechanisms, biotransformations, pharmakinetics, nonhepatic disposition and the effects of aflatoxin B 1, carcinogenicity to nonmammalian organisms, role in DNA adducts in cancer, induction
Book Reviews
369
of mutations, carcinogenesis in the context of the multistage nature of cancer, and the nutritional modulation of aflatoxin carcinogenesis. Three chapters in Part 2 are concerned with the epidemiology of aflatoxin-related disease, dosimetry methods for assessing human exposure, and strategies for chemoprotection. Agricultural and veterinary problems are outlined in five chapters in Part 3. In particular, factors relating to aflatoxin contamination of crops, mycological aspects of aflatoxin formation, veterinary diseases, aflatoxins in milk, and methods of reducing aflatoxins in feeds are examined. Part 4 contains three chapters dealing with the analytical identification of aflatoxins. In the final two chapters in Part 5, the economic and regulatory aspects of aflatoxins are discussed. Reference sections at the end of each chapter are included as sources of additional information. Figures are well done and the index will be useful. It is a well-written book, containing a wealth of information on many aspects of the problem of aflatoxins. Of particular value to me was the information on the mechanism of aflatoxin action in the body, since this information does not often appear when aflatoxins are being discussed in an agricultural context. Information concerning interactions between diet and susceptibility to aflatoxin toxicity is intriguing, and there was good discussion on aflatoxins in milk and methods of reducing aflatoxins in feeds. Even though coverage was adequate, I would have liked more information on the response of agricultural animals to dietary aflatoxins. Professionals concerned with food safety need this book. It will be a good reference text for animal and human nutritionists since it covers all aspects of the aflatoxin problem. It may not, however, satisfy those who are looking for an exhaustive and complete treatise on the effects of aflatoxins on animal production.
Department
of Agricultural,
GARY W. MATHISON Food and Nutritional Science Uniuersity of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2P5 Canada
PII SO377-8401(97)00022-9
Forage tree legumes in tropical agriculture Forage tree legumes in tropical agriculture, R.C. Gutteridge and H.M. Shelton (Eds.), CAB International, Oxon, UK, 1994, 389 pp., softback, US$ 46.50, ISBN O-85 198868-7. This book is intended to provide an introduction to forage tree legumes and their role in sustainable agricultural systems. The book arose from training courses conducted in 1990 and 1992 by scientists from the University of Queensland, Queensland Department of Primary Industries, and the Queensland Forest Service in Australia, and which were attended by participants from over 20 countries. The material in the training courses was