Food Safety and Climate Change

Abstract

Mycotoxins are chemical compounds produced mainly by mounds of genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium on various grains and agricultural commodities at different stages in the field, before harvest, post-harvest, during processing, packaging, distribution, and storage. The production of mycotoxins depends on several environmental factors such as temperature and moisture. This chapter gives an overview about the major mycotoxins (e.g., aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, and Fusarium toxins), masked mycotoxins, and emerging mycotoxins. The toxicity of these mycotoxins and their negative economic impact was also discussed together with the effect of climate change on their production. A section on mycotoxins regulations by international agencies and organisms (WHO, FAO, EU, etc.) was discussed. Finally, the different strategies to reduce or eliminate the toxic effects of mycotoxins in contaminated foods and feeds by using chemical, physical, and biological/biotechnological methods or innovative approaches were explained.