Numerous species of fungi produce toxic secondary metabolites known as mycotoxins. These fungi form mycotoxins under specific temperature and humidity conditions, and they can contaminate food and feed, posing serious risks to human and animal health. Mycotoxins can develop in the field (field mycotoxins) or during storage (storage mycotoxins).
Exposure Assessment of Mycotoxins
People may encounter mycotoxins through consuming contaminated food or by feeding animals contaminated feed. They enter the food chain via infected crops before or after harvesting. This contamination affects a wide range of products including cereals, nuts, spices, wine, beer, coffee, milk, eggs, meat, and animal feed. Mycotoxins of particular concern in food include aflatoxins, Fusarium toxins, ochratoxin A, patulin, and Ergot alkaloids, among others.
Some mycotoxins can cause acute effects with severe symptoms immediately after consuming contaminated food. Others are linked to long-term effects, including cancer and immunodeficiency.
Risk Assessment of Mycotoxins
EFSA’s expert panels conduct scientific analyses and exposure studies to support the European Commission’s decisions on maximum permitted levels of certain mycotoxins in specific foods.
Risk assessment of ochratoxin A in food, 2020
Mycotoxins & Plant Toxins: Regulatory Framework
In the European Union, Regulation (EU) 2023/915, which sets maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs, serves as the reference standard for mycotoxins and plant toxins in food.
This regulation undergoes constant updates as food safety authorities collect data, conduct studies, and evaluations:
- Regulation (EU) 2022/1370 introduced stricter or new limits for ochratoxin A in certain foodstuffs
- Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/553 outlined monitoring protocols for Alternaria toxins in food.
Explore our Services
Our laboratories are accredited to provide multi-residue solutions. We can quantify over 15 mycotoxins (by HPLC/MS), including:
- Aflatoxins
- Ochratoxin A
- Ergot alkaloids
- T-2 and HT-2 toxins
- Zearalenone
- Deoxynivalenol (DON)
- Fumonisins
We can analyze these mycotoxins even in complex matrices such as herbs, spices, and baby food.