Implications of Mycotoxins in Food Safety

Abstract

The chapter aims to address an overview of the implications of mycotoxins in food safety and the presence of mycotoxins in various foods. Nowadays, everyone wants safe food with a long shelf life. Food safety has become a major strategic issue worldwide and has attracted worldwide attention. Mycotoxins are widely found in food and feed, and dietary exposure to them can induce various types of adverse health effects in humans and animals. Contamination of food by fungi and mycotoxins results in loss of dry matter, quality and nutrition, and poses a significant danger to the food chain. Moreover, mycotoxin contamination decreases product quality and reduces export values, which can lead to significant economic losses for producing countries. Mycotoxin contamination directly reduces food availability and has its own contribution to hunger and malnutrition, and the consumption of food contaminated with mycotoxins has major repercussions on human health.