Mycotoxin Detection in Food and Feed: Risk Management and Safety

What are the Types of Mycotoxins? Mycotoxin Detection in Food and Feed

What are Mycotoxins?

Mycotoxins: Natural compounds produced by mold fungi (fungi) and found in food and feed. Usually these species thrive in favorable temperature and humidity conditions and produce mycotoxins.

Most Common Mycotoxins

• Aflatoxins: They are produced by Aspergillus species and can be found especially in products such as peanuts, nuts and cereals. Aflatoxin B1 is the most toxic form.
• Ochratoxin A: One of the most common mycotoxins and can be found in products such as coffee, grapes and cereals.
• Deoxynivalenol (DON): Occurs in grains such as wheat and barley and can also produce effects like Zearalenone.
• Fumonisins: Found in maize and pose a significant risk due to their carcinogenic effects.
• T-2 Toxin: Found in cereals, especially wheat and oats.

It has various health effects in humans and animals. When mycotoxins enter the food supply, they can cause damage at every point in the chain. They affect everyone from farmers to grain mills to grain consumers.

Grains can become contaminated with mycotoxins during crop growth or during storage of the grain, creating the need for mycotoxin testing at every stage of the food supply chain. The most important mycotoxins are aflatoxin, deoxynivalenol, fumonisin, ochratoxin A, citrinin, alterneria, patulin, T-2/HT-2 and zearalenone.

What are the harmful effects of mycotoxins?

Mycotoxins affect grain quality, reduce animal productivity and pose significant health and food safety risks to humans, production animals and pets.

Mycotoxins are well known to affect the health and development of chickens, cows, horses and other animals that eat moldy grains. Symptoms of chronic mycotoxin consumption range from a weakened immune system to liver cancer. Mycotoxin testing in cereals is vital for human health production animals.

In Which Products Can Mycotoxin Detection Be Performed?

Food Products

• Corn, wheat, rye, barley
• Grain
• Bread and cookies
• Dried fruits
• Nuts, grains and flours
• Spices
• Milk and dairy products
• Coffee, cocoa
• Baby food
• Meat and meat products
• Eggs and poultry products
• Oils and fats
• Ready to eat
• Confectionery
• Diet food
• Food additives
• Fruits and vegetables
• Cereals and cereal products

Non-Food Products

• Pet food
• Animal feed
• Medicines

Nanolab Laboratories Group continues to provide services within the scope of Mycotoxin Detection in Food and Feed. We also provide services on Mycotoxin Determination in Silage Feeds.

Contact us for more information.

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