The challenge of mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are fungal metabolites which, when ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin, cause lowered performance, sickness or death in man or animals, including birds" (Pitt, 1996). They are poisonous substances, which occur naturally and are perhaps the most prevalent source of food related health risk in field crops. However, they are almost unrecognized publicly. Consumption of food with high levels can be fatal. Long-term exposure can, amongst other things, increase cancer risk and suppress the immune system. An invaluable web site http://www.inchem.org is available as "a means of rapid access to internationally peer reviewed information on chemicals commonly used throughout the world, which may also occur as contaminants in the environment and food". Mycotoxins are a significant component of the site and should be consulted for further information. Filamentous fungi are ubiquitous in nature and responsible for producing mycotoxins in agricultural crops. The fungi and mycotoxins are considered generally as being natural and unavoidable. It is accepted that St Anthony's fire (Holy fire), a disease that affected many parts of Europe in the tenth century, was caused by the consumption of rye contaminated with ergot alkaloids, a known mycotoxin of Claviceps purpurea (CAST, 2003). Mycotoxins have plagued mankind before and since the beginning of organized crop production, i.e. always. They attract worldwide scientific, political and economic attention because of the significant economic losses associated with impacts on human health, animal productivity and international trade. Unfortunately, they are also considered as potential weapons and so could enter the food chain by this route. A recent report (CAST, 2003) has a wealth of information regarding mycotoxins, and has been referred to liberally in this overview. It is also available on the World Wide Web. Food contamination with mycotoxins has only been fully appreciated since the 1960's, when an unknown disease of animals occurred in England (CAST, 2003(undefined