Public health and natural toxins in foods

Food contains various chemical components including carbohydrates (sugars), proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. Some of chemical compounds may be toxic if to be used in large amounts. Some herbs may contain chemical compounds that are toxic to humans and animals. Some of these chemical compounds exist in plants to protect them from plant diseases, insects and other organisms. A small number of these chemical compounds, such as the Hydrazine compounds that are present in few mushrooms, are carcinogenic at very low doses.
However, chemical compounds of plants have some adverse effects that can interfere with detoxification mechanisms, allergic reactions, metabolic processes, and the availability of nutrients in humans and animals.
Many natural toxins are found in the main foods of human diet such as plants, algae, fish and types of molds. Some of these are discussed below...