Mycotoxins are microbial agents which cause food or feed-borne intoxications. Mycotoxins are undesireable compounds often found in cereal grains and forages. Production of mycotoxins is dependent on environmental conditions and agricultural practices. Moisture level ranges between 13% to 18% and temperatures between 20 C and 30 C can increase fungal growth rate during growing seasons as well as...

Damp building-related illnesses have caused concern for years in many countries. Although the problem is extensive, the knowledge of the immunological reactions behind damp building-related illnesses is still quite limited. Trichothecene mycotoxins form one major group of toxins, which possibly contribute to the illnesses. Stachybotrys chartarum is a well-known, but also controversial damp buil...

Industrial hygienists (IHs) are called upon to investigate exposures to mold in indoor environments, both residential and commercial. Because exposure standards for molds or mycotoxins do not exist, it is important for the industrial hygienist to have a broad knowledge of the potential for exposure and health effects associated with mold in the indoor environment. This review focuses on the tox...

The contamination of consumer food and animal feed with toxigenic fungi has resulted in economic losses worldwide in animal industries. Mycotoxins are highly biologically reactive secondary metabolites and can inhibit protein synthesis and cell multiplication. Considering the cytotoxicity of mycotoxins, this experiment was performed to determine the in vitro influence of ochratoxin A, deoxyniva...

As an edible and medicinal plant, Coix seed is readily contaminated by more than one group of mycotoxins resulting in potential risk to human health. A reliable and sensitive method has been developed to determine seven mycotoxins (aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, zearalenone, α-zearalenol, and β-zearalenol) simultaneously in 10 batches of Coix seed marketed in China. The method is based on a rapid u...

Analysis of feed for the presence of fungi and mycotoxins is a request necessary to meet in order to ensure a healthy and economical production in livestock. These tests are related to legal regulation which prescribes the maximum legislated content (MLC), both for the presence of mycotoxins and the total number of fungi in certain feeds. Health problems that can occur during the production of ...

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungi on almost all agricultural crops. Mycotoxin contamination of crops may cause economic losses at all levels of food and feed production. Mycotoxins are known to be either carcinogenic (e.g., aflatoxins, fumonisins), dermatotoxic (deoxynivalenol), neurotoxic (fumonisins), estrogenic (zearalenone) or immunosuppressive (aflatoxins, deoxynivalen...

Dairy producers have a difficult task when attempting to assess the possible exposure of their animals to mycotoxins. Information gleaned from the scientific literature suggests signs and symptoms for toxins which may actually not be likely to appear in a herd. Also, that same literature suggests concentrations at which the toxin exerts its effects. Those concentrations may have little meaning ...

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by certain filamentous microscopic fungi, which occur naturally in the environment and may persist in animal feed. A mycotoxin contaminated diet may lead to feed refusal, poor feed conversion, diminished body weight gain and causes pathological effects associated with gross and histological changes, which are responsible for great economical losses....

mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of molds and have adverse effects on humans, animals, and crops. those can cause illnesses and economic losses. aflatoxin m1 (afm1) is one of the mycotoxins produced from the hydroxylated metabolite of aflatoxin b1 (afb1). it can be found in milk or milk products obtained from livestock that have ingested contaminated feed. in this paper, recent studies were...