Trichothecenes, zearalenone (ZEN) and fumonisins are the major Fusarium mycotoxins occurring on a worldwide basis in cereal grains, animal feeds and forages. Other important Fusarium mycotoxins include moniliformin and fusaric acid. Spontaneous outbreaks of Fusarium mycotoxicoses have been recorded in Europe, Asia, New Zealand and South America and, in addition, chronic exposure occurs on a reg...

Mycotoxins are fungal secondary metabolites responsible of food-mediated intoxication in animals and humans. Deoxynivalenol, ochratoxin A and patulin are the best known enteropathogenic mycotoxins able to alter intestinal functions resulting in malnutrition, diarrhea, vomiting and intestinal inflammation in vivo. Although their effects on intestinal barrier and transport activities have been ex...

Regulations relating to mycotoxins have been established in many countries to protect the consumer from the harmful effects of these compounds. Different factors play a role in the decision-making process of setting limits for mycotoxins. These include scientific factors, for example the availability of toxicological data and occurrence data, detailed knowledge about possibilities for sampling ...

Mycotoxins are commonly present in feed for farm animals. Sows and gilts are highly susceptible to mycotoxins. This article presents a review describing the main mycotoxins encountered in pig feed which have a negative impact on sow fertility and reproduction. Consumption of feed that is contaminated with these mycotoxins may cause a variety of symptoms, depending on the type of mycotoxin, quan...

Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) is an Asiatic leguminous plant cultivated in many parts of the world for its oil and proteins, which are extensively used in the manufacture of animal and human foodstuffs (FAO, 2004a; Hepperly, 1985). The production reached 47.5 million tons during the 2006/2007 harvest season ranking Argentina third as soybean producer in the world. In Argentina, during the last...

Insects cause many other forms of damage when they feed on parts of the corn plant, including breakage of the plant, eardrop and kernel damage. Damaged kernels can lead to growth of fungi, which may produce biologically active compounds called mycotoxins (e.g. aflatoxin, fumonisin). Dependent upon their accumulation in kernels, mycotoxins pose a potential threat to human and animal health if co...