Grains mycotoxin production

Although there is no close correlation of crop infection and mycotoxin production, all efforts to reduce mycotoxin contamination of cereal grains start with agronomic factors that can be controlled to minimize crop infection. 

Mycotoxin-contaminated feedstuffs could be pm-chased at a bargain price and used as a terrorist tactic in the manufacture of a completed feed. For example, horse or swine feeds could be formulated with a high level of grain by-products that are known to contain mycotoxins. Field incidences of mycotoxicoses not linked to terrorist activities have been reported from the use of mycotoxin-contaminated by-products in formulating ruminant, horse, and swine feeds (Wilson et al., 1990 Osweiler et al., 1992 Riet-Correa et al., 2013). Pet foods have been contaminated with aflatoxins and they caused illness and deaths of companion animals in regional areas (Arnot et al., 2012 Wouters et al., 2013). 

D Mello J P F (2003), Mycotoxins in cereal grains, nuts and other plant products , Food Safety Contaminants and Toxins, CAB International, Wallingford, 65-90. 

Miller J D (1995), Fungi and mycotoxins in grain implications for stored product research , J. Stored Products Res., 31, 1-16. 

In spite of the fact that contamination of cereals and grains and related products with mycotoxins causes food and feed-bome intoxications in man and livestock, zearalenone in low concentrations can be treated as a plant hormone which influences the development and yield of crop plants (Biesaga-Koscielniak 2001). This review focuses on the effect of low doses of zearalenone on the stimulation of selected physiological processes in plants important for agriculture production. 

Integrated strategies for the risk management of mycotoxins include, among others, the testing of food products, whatever the ultimate goal of the test is. The control of mycotoxins in grains is... 

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