Moldy Sugarcane Poisoning

Beware in Spring: Eating Moldy Sugarcane Can Cause Poisoning
Pathogenesis
The pathogen responsible for moldy sugarcane poisoning is Arthrinium, which produces a heat-resistant toxin called 3-nitropropionic acid that primarily damages the central nervous system. The conditions for toxin production are temperatures of 15–18°C, a pH of 5.5, and a sugar content in the medium of 2%–10%. Moldy sugarcane poisoning mostly occurs between February and April each year, mostly in northern regions. Sugarcane is transported from southern China to the north in November each year, stored over winter, and then sold in the following spring. As temperatures rise in spring, molds proliferate, causing the sugarcane to become moldy and produce toxins. Some sugarcane is harvested before fully ripening and has low sugar content, which further favors the growth of Arthrinium. Moldy sugarcane tends to be softer in texture, loses its glossy outer skin, and may show various colored molds growing on it. Internally, it appears brown with mold spots, and may emit a moldy, alcoholic, or sour smell. Consuming such sugarcane can lead to poisoning.
Symptoms of Poisoning
The incubation period for poisoning ranges from as short as 10 minutes to as long as over ten hours. Generally, the shorter the incubation period, the more severe the symptoms. Mild cases may experience dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and vision impairment, but recover within 24 hours without any aftereffects. Severe cases, in addition to the above symptoms, may suffer from paroxysmal convulsions after intense vomiting, with limbs becoming stiff, bent, internally rotated, and fingers curled like a bird’s claw. Many die 1–3 days after onset. Severe cases often leave aftereffects such as spastic paralysis, speech disorders, difficulty swallowing, curled body posture, and stiff limbs, with few making full recoveries.
Preventive Measures
1. Harvest sugarcane only when fully mature, and protect it from freezing after harvest.
2. Prevent freezing, physical damage, and mold contamination or proliferation during storage and transport; storage periods should not be too long, and sugarcane should be regularly inspected. Any moldy sugarcane found must be destroyed immediately.
3. Strengthen food hygiene supervision and inspections; selling moldy sugarcane is strictly prohibited, and moldy sugarcane must not be processed into fresh juice for sale.
4. Carefully inspect the quality of sugarcane before consumption.
Gibberella Zeae Wheat Poisoning
Wheat infected with Gibberella zeae, also known as gibberellin wheat or "stupor wheat," can cause poisoning not only in humans but also in monkeys, dogs, pigs, horses, cats, and other animals.
Pathogenesis
The pathogen responsible for gibberellin wheat is a type of Fusarium, predominantly Fusarium graminearum in China, accounting for 94.5%. Fusarium graminearum thrives on grains such as wheat, barley, wheat (also known as yuanmai), as well as corn, rice, and sweet potatoes, especially under temperatures of 16–24°C and humidity of 85%. Infected wheat exhibits wrinkled skin, is grayish-white and lacks luster, with grains that are not full and easily break apart. When the detection rate of gibberellin wheat reaches 3%–6%, food poisoning is likely to occur upon consumption.
Fusarium species that cause wheat or corn gibberellin disease can produce two major types of mycotoxins: one is the trichothecene group, which induces vomiting; this toxin is heat-resistant and requires heating at 110°C for one hour to be destroyed. The other type includes zearalenone compounds, which have androgenic effects. Gibberellin wheat poisoning is caused by trichothecenes and is unrelated to zearalenone.
Gibberellin wheat food poisoning can occur all year round but is more common during the wheat harvest season.
Symptoms of Poisoning

The characteristics of the poisoning include rapid onset, mild symptoms, short duration, and curability. The incubation period is generally 0.5–1 hour. Main symptoms include initial stomach discomfort and nausea, followed by significant vomiting, dizziness, headache, weakness, bloating, and abdominal pain. In mild cases, individuals recover within 2 hours after vomiting; in severe cases, symptoms may include limb soreness, palpitations, accelerated breathing, facial flushing, and unsteady gait. The incidence of poisoning ranges from 33% to 79%.
Preventive Measures
Prevent contamination; strengthen field management, promote grain varieties resistant to gibberellin wheat disease, harvest promptly, dry or sun-dry the grains, and store them in dry, ventilated areas.
Reduce or eliminate gibberellin wheat grains and their toxins;
Separate contaminated grains—lightly affected grains can be separated using winnowing or water flotation methods.
Dilution treatment—mixing contaminated grains with normal grains can reduce the proportion of contaminated grains to below 1% to ensure safety.
Appropriate milling—the toxins in contaminated grains are mostly concentrated in the outer layers; proper processing to remove part of the outer layer can reduce toxin levels.
Change food processing methods—use contaminated grains for fermented foods like soy sauce or vinegar. Severely contaminated grains may be used for industrial alcohol production but not as animal feed.
Moldy Sweet Potato Poisoning
Pathogenesis
Sweet potato (also known as white potato or yam) black spot disease is caused by Fusarium solani or Fusarium oxysporum, also referred to as black spot sweet potato poisoning. These fungi mostly parasitize wounds, broken skin, or cracks on sweet potatoes. The affected areas appear light yellow and turn brown or black upon exposure to air. The infected parts are harder in texture, slightly sunken on the surface, and have a bitter taste. Consumption by humans or livestock can lead to poisoning. The toxins that cause moldy sweet potato poisoning are highly heat-resistant and can cause poisoning whether the sweet potato is eaten raw or cooked. These toxins are very stable in neutral environments but can be destroyed by acids or alkalis.
Symptoms of Poisoning
The incubation period ranges from 1 to 24 hours. Mild symptoms mainly include dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Severe cases may exhibit muscle tremors and spasms in addition to the above symptoms, leading to coma and eventually death.
Preventive Measures
Properly harvest and store sweet potatoes to avoid damage to the tubers or skin that could lead to fungal contamination; regularly inspect stored sweet potatoes and promptly remove any with black spots; before eating, cut away any black spots or rotten parts.

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