Management of Mycotoxin Problems: Prospects and Limitations

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of storage moulds toxic to man and animals when consumed through infested foods and feeds causing a variety of health hazards. They are not only thermostable but also do not degrade easily and act at threshold concentrations causing irreversible health disorder. Mycotoxins are hard to remove from food grains and remain in the food chain. The substantial financial losses linked to mycotoxins and the effects on animal productivity, human health and both domestic and international trades have kept them in the public eye. Mycotoxins are unavoidable, more toxic than pesticides and can only be contained at food safety permissible levels. They have a potential to cause cancer apart from effects such as mutagenicity, teratogenicity, neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity or sudden death. By implementing different pre- and post-harvest strategies based on good field agricultural and manufacturing practices during food handling, storage and distribution after harvest, negative effects of food grains mycotoxins can be prevented. Hazard analysis and critical control points aid in their prevention in addition to management methods. Even with thorough and in-depth study, a sizable fraction of farmers, merchants, processors and consumers still only partially adhere to the recommendations made for the mycotoxins management in foods and feeds. Various measures must be taken to contain health hazardous mycotoxins while foods are in the production stage in the field, during harvest, post-harvest stage, storage, processing and consumption are herein discussed. Measures which can be taken after they enter in to food chain such as decontamination, detoxification by different physical, chemical and biological methods are also discussed. An integrated approach to this problem appears of immense help to protect the health of man and animals, and the global economy.