Tools for Mycotoxin Analysis

Mycotoxins, pesticides and antibiotic residues are a major safety concern for human and livestock food supplies. Whereas mycotoxins are from natural origin, produced by certain moulds (fungi), the others are man-made, mycotoxin management is therefore more complicated. The contamination of food by mycotoxins depends on various factors like environment, stress, geographical location, storage, host species etc. Mycotoxins appear in food chain because of fungal infection of crops both before and after harvest. Several hundred different mycotoxins have been identified, but most common health safety concerns are attributed to aflatoxins, ochratoxins, fumonisins, zearalenone, trichothecens like deoxynivalenol, T2/HT2 toxin and patulin. Elimination of mycotoxin contamination of food supplies is difficult, hence exposure to mycotoxins should be minimum to protect ourselves and livestock.