An Introduction to Mycotoxins and Why They Matter for Food Safety
In food safety, few threats are as serious as mycotoxins. These toxic compounds, produced by molds and fungi, can contaminate crops like grains, nuts, fruits and even coffee, posing significant risks to human and animal health.
What are mycotoxins?
You may have heard the names of some common mycotoxins like aflatoxin and ochratoxin, or even just the term multi-mycotoxin testing, but you may not know that mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by certain molds and fungi in warm, humid conditions. They can contaminate crops during growth, harvest, and storage. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), most mycotoxins are chemically stable, meaning they can survive common food processing steps and end up in the final product on your plate.
Crops most susceptible to mycotoxin contamination include:
- Corn, wheat, rice and sorghum
- Peanuts and other oil seeds
- Dried fruit, apples, coffee and spices
Some of the most common and concerning mycotoxins include aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisin, T-2 toxins, and zearalenone.
Contamination from mycotoxins can occur at any stage of production, and can be broken down into four key phases:
- Fungal growth
- Stress response (where fungi produce mycotoxins under stress)
- Contamination
- Exposure (where humans and animals consume contaminated food)
Risks associated with mycotoxins
The risks posed by mycotoxins are significant and can range from acute poisoning to chronic disease. Aflatoxins, for example, are known carcinogens linked to liver cancer, liver failure, gastrointestinal issues, and immune suppression. This can be of specific concern for infants, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.
Mycotoxin contamination in food, livestock feed, and agricultural commodities can lead to adverse health effects for both humans and animals. Including feed mycotoxin testing and grain mycotoxin testing in your monitoring program ensures that you are aware of the potential threats from mycotoxin contamination to avoid compromises to food safety and the overall quality of plant and protein agricultural products. For example, milk from a cow fed grain contaminated with aflatoxins can have toxic effects of aflatoxin in it.
Beyond the health risks, mycotoxins can have serious economic consequences. Contaminated products can lead to costly recalls, reputational damage, and rejected exports due to non-compliance with food safety regulations. Financial losses can ripple throughout the supply chain, so the USDA urges stakeholders to adopt robust risk management and quality control practices.
How mycotoxins are detected and monitored
Thanks to advances in science, detecting and monitoring mycotoxins is more accurate and efficient than ever. Detection involves rigorous sampling and advanced analytical techniques, such as:
- Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
- High-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC)
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) — the same technology used in COVID tests
- Rapid field tests for preliminary screening
Regular monitoring through systematic sampling and ongoing testing helps ensure food remains within safe limits. Agencies like the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) set tolerance levels, run surveillance programs and issue alerts when needed.
The three layers of mycotoxin mitigation
Mycotoxin mitigation strategies can help reduce mycotoxin contamination in food and feed. These strategies fall into three categories: pre-harvest, post-harvest, and detoxification.
- Pre-harvest mitigation tactics include crop rotation, irrigation, pest management, and use of fungus-resistant crop varieties.
- Post-harvest controls involve rapid drying, low-humidity storage and chemical or sorting treatments to neutralize or remove contaminated products.
- Detoxification techniques to reduce mycotoxin levels are also divided into three categories:
- Physical - Involves sorting, cleaning and removing contaminated grains. Heat treatment can be used to degrade mycotoxins at high temperatures. Adsorption using active charcoal or clay-based binders can trap mycotoxins and prevent their absorption in animals.
- Chemical - Ozonation allows ozone gas to break down mycotoxins into non-toxic compounds. Organic acids like citric acid and lactic acid can also help degrade certain mycotoxins.
- Biological - Certain bacteria, fungi, enzymes and biofilms can break down mycotoxins into a non-toxic form.
Regulatory oversight of mycotoxins
Agencies like the Codex Alimentarius, EFSA and WHO set mycotoxin safety standards globally. These standards guide safe trade and food safety practices. In Europe, EFSA provides scientific opinions that guide international standards, helping to balance risk mitigation with trade facilitation. In the U.S., the FDA enforces regulations and monitors compliance through regular testing and quality controls.
Emerging mycotoxins
New mycotoxins are continually being identified. Recent studies have spotlighted compounds such as enniatins, beauvericin and alternaria as emerging risks. Climate change is the primary factor behind these emerging risks. By altering temperature and humidity profiles, climate change creates new opportunities for uncommon fungal species to proliferate.
These developments call for revisiting traditional risk models and updating detection methods to encompass these threats. Ongoing research projects, which are often co-funded by government agencies and academic institutions, focus on the evolution, detection and control of emerging mycotoxins.
Innovations like improved multi-mycotoxin testing detection platforms, digital monitoring tools, and Internet of Things (IoT) sensors can provide real-time data and help adapt detection methods to address emerging risks effectively.
Best practices for food safety
To protect products from mycotoxin contamination, consider implementing these practices:
- Conduct rigorous supplier audits and implement in-process testing of new material, raw material and new vendors,
- Train staff on the latest detection methods and regulatory requirements,
- Use integrated management systems with traceability tools and blockchain technology for full supply chain visibility.
These practices are advocated by agencies like the USDA, FDA, and EFSA, and should be included in a blueprint for domestic and international food safety compliance.
To maintain food safety, efficiency and compliance, food production facility personnel must also understand good manufacturing practices (GMP), proper handwashing and personal hygiene, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements, equipment handling and maintenance, and emergency response and crisis management.
Conclusion
Mycotoxins are a serious and growing concern in food safety. With the right strategies, from smart growing and storage practices to advanced testing methods, much can be done to manage the risk. New technologies, such as IoT-driven storage monitoring and blockchain-enabled traceability, are poised to further refine mycotoxin risk management.
As conditions change and new mycotoxins emerge, staying proactive is critical. Regular monitoring, up-to-date staff training, and adoption of integrated safety systems can help food producers stay ahead of risk, protecting their products, their reputation, and the health of consumers worldwide.
Questions on how this information is applicable to your food process?
