Prevention and control of mycotoxins

Preventative treatment to avoid pre-harvest fungal penetration of seeds and subsequent toxin formation include  

Many environmental parameters have been shown to promote mycotoxin formation in growing crops and include varietal susceptibility or resistance, insect infestation, drought conditions, mechanical damage, nutritional deficiencies and unseasonable temperatures and rainfall. The ultimate aim in pre-harvest control must be to generate a high level of resistance into the main agricultural food crops (Lisker and Lillehoj, 1991). 

Various organic acids such as sorbic, benzoic, propionic, acetic and formic acids, have been widely used as preservatives and are normally used as the corresponding sodium, potassium or calcium salts. Such methods are seldom used where the stored produce is destined for human consumption. 

Whenever a product has been deemed contaminated with mycotoxins there are only two approaches that can be used for ultimate safe human or animal consumption  

Since most mycotoxins in agricultural materials are usually contained in a very small proportion of individual seeds or kernels the most practical and effective method of reducing the mycotoxin content of the whole commodity is to remove the contaminated seeds or kernels mechanically (West and Bullerman, 1991). Various techniques have been devised, based on colour and visual appearance of decay or damage to separate out contaminated seed etc. This may be manual or by more advanced electronic instrumental selection. 

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