Patulin in food: state-of-the-art and analytical trends

Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by several fungal species of the genera Penicillium and Aspergillus, found on several fruit species and, remarkably, in apples and apple products. Patulin has a broad spectrum of toxicity, including carcinogenicity and teratogenicity in animals. Due to the stability of the molecule, considerable amounts of patulin still remain in apple products after processing. This paper reviews different analytical methods for patulin determination and methods to reduce levels of patulin in apple products as well.