Mycotoxin incidents associated with cereals: lessons learnt and risk reduction strategies

This paper explores the occurrence and impact of mycotoxins linked to cereals and their indirect impact on human food safety. Epidemiological cases are used to evaluate the impact of mycotoxins on food and feed supply chains. It is shown that mycotoxins pose significant problems and, the implementation and enforcement of legislation, and the development of efficient supply chain strategies including private standards to reduce the risks of contamination and subsequent health issues are considered. Further, the paper identifies the different challenges faced by developing and developed nations in relation to managing the risks associated with mycotoxins relative to local, regional and global trading systems.