General Information

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by different genera of fungi (Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium, Claviceps, etc.) that can contaminate a wide range of foods and feeds. These fungi are ubiquitous and wide-spread at all levels of the food chain. They are present in food produced at all latitudes save the polar regions. They are natural contaminants and yet some of the most poisonous toxins known to man. Their presence is considered unavoidable and it is not possible to predict or prevent entirely their occurrence during cultivation, harvest, storage, and processing operations by current good agronomic and good manufacturing practices. Under favourable conditions of temperature and humidity, these fungi grow on certain foods (grains, cereals, oilseeds, edible nuts, dried fruits) resulting in the production of toxins. Mycotoxins can also be metabolized by animals fed contaminated grains and pass into milk, eggs and other organs entering the food chain once again.

Mycotoxins in our staple foods and their medical consequences have been known since historical records exist. Ergotism, a vaso-constricting disease with severe neurological alterations, caused by ergot alkaloids produced by the fungal genus Claviceps, has been extensively described since the Middle Ages.

There have been over three hundred mycotoxins identified, produced by some 350 fungal species, but the most agriculturally important ones are: aflatoxins, deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, T-2 toxin, zearalenone,ochratoxin, fumonisins, and patulin.

There is a continuous need to protect the health of humans and susceptible animals by limiting their exposure to mycotoxins because of their toxicological manifestations which include acute and chronic ones such as cancer, immunosuppression, mutagenicity and estrogenic gastrointestinal, urogenital, vascular , kidney and nervous disorders.

Despite many years of research and the introduction of good practices in the food production, storage and distribution chain, mycotoxins continue to be a problem. Both the FAO/WHO International Conference on Nutrition (Rome 1992) and the UN Conference on Environmental Development (Rio 1992) recognized the importance of safe food for human health and the potential hazards posed by chemicals in the food supply. In 1996, the UN Commission on Sustainable Development approved a work programme on indicators of sustainable development which included mycotoxins in food as one of the components of an indicator related to protection and promotion of human health.

Many countries regulate for or suggest permitted levels of mycotoxins in foods and feed because of the public health significance and commercial consequences. In developing countries mycotoxins also have profound economic implications. Losses in grain and animal production are also increased by losses of markets by non-tariff barriers due to mycotoxin level restrictions. According to FAO estimates, world losses of foodstuffs due to mycotoxins are in the range of 1000 million tonnes per year.

In order for governments to routinely monitor their domestic and imported products to ensure that the mycotoxin levels are below the required limits their laboratories need sensitive, accurate and precise methods of analysis and sampling (link to quality assurance).

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