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Detection of mycotoxins in feed and food
Project
Project code: MRI-AA-08-4035
Contract period: 01.01.2001
- 31.12.2012
Purpose of research: Inventory & Assessment
Mycotoxins as well as antibiotics belong to the class of secondary metabolites formed by moulds. The distinction is merely that antibiotics in the first place have a toxic effect on bacteria and pathogens, while mycotoxins in humans and animals – depending on the type of mycotoxins – can produce acute or chronic toxic effects with a broad activity spectrum. Some mycotoxins are carcinogenic, cause or evoke hereditary damages or provoke malformations in embryos. The products of the secondary metabolism are characteristic for the respective producing organism. Mycotoxin formation is subject to a regional and seasonal variation and is highly dependent on the environmental conditions. Food and feedstuffs have ideal conditions for the development of the most types of moulds and therefore a potential for the formation of mycotoxins. Mycotoxin contamination of food and feed is a worldwide problem. The intake of mycotoxins via food is the primary source of exposure for humans and animals. On the other hand the risk of inhalation of mould spores may be considered. Three ways of contamination can be taken into consideration. First, the primary contamination of raw food materials, secondly, the secondary contamination of ready-prepared foods and thirdly, the carry over-effect by transmission via the livestock to meat, eggs and milk. With respect to consumer pro-tection national actions are supplemented by EU-wide regulations concerning maximum levels. Analysis of mycotoxins and their metabolites is primarily performed by means of LC-MS/MS methods at present. The investigations shall help to assess the potential consumer exposure to mycotoxins and enable the development of appropriate rapid “multi-detection methods” to improve and accelerate the compilation of required information.
Section overview
Subjects
- Animal nutrition
- Food Chemistry
- Toxicology
