How to Mitigate the Risk of Mycotoxins

Reducing mycotoxin risk at the harvesting stage, he says, includes harvesting grain and seed crops when their moisture content is at its lowest, removing damaged grains/fruits/seeds, and drying grains and seeds quickly once harvested. At the storage stage, moisture and insects need to be controlled and antifungal agents used.

Detoxification: Processing Level

Dr. Lopez-Garcia emphasizes that most mycotoxins are not destroyed or inactivated during processing, so the goal is to prevent highly contaminated products from entering the processing environment.

She recommends that food processors build adequate relationships with suppliers and develop specifications that address mycotoxins. “It’s important to understand each commodity coming into the processing facility and develop specifications that will address the potential contamination,” she says. “It is also important to have proper sampling and analytical methods in place, as sampling is extremely important to obtain reliable results, since some of the toxins may be present in hot spots.” To be valid, she says that samples should represent the whole lot.

She also stresses the need for vigilance in mitigating the risk of mycotoxin exposure in products targeted at infants and children.

Niemeijer also emphasizes the need for sample testing with an appropriate method to get an early indication of the mycotoxin status so that the right decision can be made before the next step in the production chain. “Before accepting a lot, the product can be tested to prevent mycotoxins entering the productions facilities,” he says. “Also, testing before shipping or exporting a product is a good strategy to prevent financial losses.”

Dr. Gourama underscores the need for food processors to obey all GMPs related to their products, particularly for products or ingredients susceptible to mold growth such as peanuts and corn. “Raw material and any incoming products should be checked for any signs of damage, mold growth, and presence of mycotoxins,” he says, adding that a proper cleaning and sanitizing program should always be followed throughout the processing facility to prevent food contamination with molds and potential production of mycotoxins.

Global Effort

Given the enormous impact mycotoxins can have on the food chain, regulatory limits on their levels in food and feed have been established by governing bodies worldwide, including FDA, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the Food Agricultural Organization, and the World Health Association.

Implementing a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points approach across the entire food chain and through all stages of food handling is another way to ensure the safety of foods and feed from mycotoxin contamination.