Articles - Mycotoxins

While promoting sustainability, plant-based diets may increase mycotoxin exposure; new evidence shows contamination risks in meat and milk analogues and the need for updated regulations.   Introduction   In recent years, there has been a significant transition towards plant-based diets, driven by concerns related to the health risks assoc [...]

On March 13, 2025, we hosted a webinar titled “Plant based milk alternatives: Nutritional value, food safety issues,” gathering experts across nutrition, allergen management, microbiology, and chemical safety. Moderated as a series of expert presentations, the webinar delved into the burgeoning plant based dairy market-examining its hea [...]

In the last 20 years, aflatoxin M1 has been found in milk at unprecedented levels in southern Europe on several occasions. Is it the result of climate change? What do experts think about the risk to consumers, both now and in the future? Is the best approach to move from an M1 limit to a “total aflatoxin metabolites” limit?   Intro [...]

A focus on cereals.   A review of the impact of climate change on chemical exposures affecting human health identified 8 contaminants as high risk of getting worse due to climate change, one of which was mycotoxins (Balbus et al. 2013). Guerin (2022) evaluated the risks and responsibilities of Directors of companies that supply food in relatio [...]

Initiatives and efforts to meet stricter mycotoxin regulations are helping the country overcome contamination challenges in its domestic and export markets.       Brazil is one of the largest food producers and exporters in the world. It is the fourth-largest grain producer and the second-largest grain exporter, accounting for about [...]

An overview of MYTOX-SOUTH® activities and their goal of strengthening global capacity to tackle the mycotoxin problem and its associated food safety and food security issues.     The majority of the world’s food crops are contaminated with mycotoxins that have dangerous human health effects and cause significant food loss. The [...]

Novel and fully integrated management strategies to reduce and control mycotoxins - EU project under grant agreement n°678012.      At the international trade level, mycotoxin presence in foodstuffs has serious economic and sustainability consequences with significant implications for food and feed safety and food security. The E [...]

Are regulatory limits a good compromise between public health and economic interests?     The EU undoubtedly has the strictest mycotoxin regulations in the world. The complex and supposedly well-structured system that enforces these regulations and guarantees the highest level of safety for EU citizens actually has some weak points and ev [...]

Affidia interviewed two of the principle players in testing inspection and certification of grain shipments to learn how real investigations are conducted and to understand the unmet challenges in this field.     Globalization has increased the international circulation of commodities. For some of these commodities, globalization has mean [...]

A survey to investigate topics including the technologies used, the number of analyses conducted, and the test kits’ certifications.     Rapid testing for grain Aflatoxin and deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination of grain depends on several factors, primary among them weather conditions in the pre-harvest period. In Europe, aflatoxin i [...]

Dietary supplements: how natural contaminants may turn botanical remedies into a Pandora’s box.       Food supplements: a growing market trend  According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA 2009), food supplements are “concentrated sources of nutrients or other substances with a nutritional or physiological e [...]

The legalization of cannabis has opened the door both to new markets and new concerns about quality and safety. While analytical methods to detect fungal infection and mycotoxin occurrence in cannabis have been developed, questions still remain.       Cannabis products for medicinal and recreational use   Cannabis as an agricult [...]

Mycotoxin regulations: a multi-mycotoxin testing approach to fulfill local and international regulations.         Mycotoxins are known to cause acute and chronic effects in humans and animals resulting in specific clinical conditions depending on the type of mycotoxin. The mycotoxins of note are Aflatoxins (AFB1,2 & AFG1,2) [...]

In the last 20 years, aflatoxin M1 has been found in milk in southern Europe at unprecedented levels on several occasions. Is it the result of climate change? What do experts think about the risk for consumers, both now and in the future? Is the best approach to move from an M1 limit in milk to a “total aflatoxin metabolites” limit in m [...]

This article provides the non-specialized reader with an overview of the major techniques employed by food testing laboratories for the analysis of mycotoxins, including a brief description of the complex analytical tools required.         Introduction   Most consumers think the word natural is synonymous with safe, healthy [...]