American Council for Food Safety & Quality

A Mycotoxin by Any Other Name ...

By Mike Hurley

My Mom always said not to eat moldy food, and she was right. Mycotoxins are serious concerns for our members, but not too many people actually know what a mycotoxin is and why are people so concerned about such low levels.

Mycotoxins are toxins produced by molds that can grow in various foods and feeds. They are some of the most carcinogenic compounds known to man. This is the reason the administrative guidelines and tolerances are so small. Mycotoxins aren’t found very often, which drive statisticians crazy. The most popular and most common is Aflatoxin. These toxins are produced by some of the Aspergillus and other molds. Not all Aspergillus species produce Aflatoxin. Although we don’t know for certain, the molds probably produce the toxins as a means of protecting themselves from other organisms. There are six types of Aflatoxins: B1, B2, G1, G2, M1 and M2. The B toxins are slightly blue under a black light and the G toxins are somewhat green. The M toxins are found in milk and are produced by cattle eating Aflatoxin contaminated feed. Aflatoxin B1 is the most toxic and the most common.

With all those bleak facts, is there any good news? Actually there is. Reports have come out from the World Health Organization and the Food and Agricultural Association of the United Nations (WHO/FAO) stating that Aflatoxin is not nearly as toxic as previously proposed, except for those who may have hepatitis or other liver diseases. Hepatitis is not a significant problem in the U.S. or other developed countries, so if you are healthy there is no real need to worry about Aflatoxin. However, there are many developing countries that do have a hepatitis problem, and who are concerned about Aflatoxin. The EU has recently discussed increasing tolerances; this change has come about through hard work from industry representatives basing their statements on good science. Their low tolerances do not improve food safety, but act as non-tariff trade barrier. Stay tuned for future announcements at the district meetings.

Are there any other mold toxins? You bet. To date there have been about a hundred mycotoxins isolated. None of these are as toxic to humans as Aflatoxin. Horses can have serious problems with the Fusarium toxin Fumonison (5 PPM in the feed can kill a horse). Chickens and pigs have some sensitivity as well; they get liver lesions with the Aspergillus and Pennicillium produced Ochratoxin. Chemists have been working hard to analyze low levels of mycotoxins, but some argue that the more we know, the more regulalations we will see in the future.

Here's the good news: the ACFSQ/DFA laboratory has the best equipment and technology available to measure mycotoxins of concern to our industry. Many labs are using test kits for analysis; however, these do not give results that ACFSQ/DFA thinks are acceptable. We will not compromise the science for speed or price. We have been conducting mycotoxin testing for more than 30 years. ACFSQ/DFA laboratories are involved with international check samples to confirm our ability.

We analyze thousands of Mycotoxins analyses per year. Laboratory test confirm our members produce the safest and best products in the world.

We encourage you to contact us regarding what laboratory services we can provide your organization in an effort to keep you ahead of your competition.