Reference on Mycotoxins Occurrence, Prevalence, and Risk Assessment in Food Systems

Abstract

Mycotoxins are a group of naturally occurring toxins that are produced by different filamentous fungi genera such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, etc. The word mycotoxin literally is derived from Greek word “myke” meaning fungus and “toxicum” meaning toxin. These contaminants can develop on different food and feed commodities during different stages including pre-harvest, harvest, and storage. Mycotoxins are of concern because their outbreak result in animal and human diseases and economic losses. It has been estimated that global post-harvest losses are approximately at 50%. Human exposure to mycotoxins is typically through consumption of contaminated agricultural products or indirectly by consumption of animal products containing mycotoxins or their metabolites. The chapter provides the latest information on mycotoxin issues and challenges related to food and feed safety.