Mycotoxins in food—their occurrence and significance

Abstract

Mycotoxins are fungal metabolites which produce a diverse range of acute or chronic toxicological effects in susceptible animal species. Some, but by no means all, mycotoxins are known or believed to affect man. Mycotoxins may enter the human food chain by several possible routes, viz: contaminated agricultural products; residues in animal products arising from the animal feed; mould‐ripened foods; mould‐spoiled foods; food additives of microbial origin.

The possibilities for mycotoxin contamination of human foods will be discussed in relation to these contamination routes. Present attitudes to the control of mycotoxins will be discussed in relation to the distribution and sale of foods in both national and international trade.