Grain, ergot contamination

Why is ergot-contaminated rye heavily penalized by grading systems How do grain inspectors recognize ergot-contaminated rye ... 

It is difficult to conceive that even poisons can be harnessed as medically-useful drugs, yet this is the case with the ergot alkaloids. These mycotoxins (i.e., toxins produced by molds) were responsible for fatal poisoning of humans and animals (ergotism) throughout the ages after consumption of bread made from grain contaminated with species of... 

In field isolates of C. purpurea, the alkaloids are only produced inplanta, in sclerotial tissue. In the past, contamination of cereals with sclerotia has led to severe disease symptoms in humans, known as St. Anthony s fire in the Middle Ages. In modern mills, cereals are mechanically cleaned from seclerotia, which due to a growing number of grain-sized sclerotia gives no complete protection. Contamination of flour with ergot alkaloids is still a problem, and has even increased in the last years, e.g., due to C. purpurea-susceptible new hybrid rye varieties. 

Ergotism ( St. Anthony s Fire") Disease caused by excess ergot aikaioids ciassicaiiy caused by consumption of grain (in bread, etc) that is contaminated by the ergot fungus... 

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