Mycotoxins and Plant Toxins in Food and Feed
Fera provides specialist testing and research for mycotoxins and plant toxins across food and feed products. Our scientific expertise supports regulatory compliance, risk assessment and supply chain confidence through trusted analytical methods and decades of experience.
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by some moulds. They can occur in a wide range of foods, often with no visible signs of mould spoilage to the food. They have a wide range of chemical properties and toxicities to humans and food-producing animals. Exposure to some mycotoxins is controlled through legislation.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have evaluated a wide range of mycotoxins, including ochratoxin A, ergot alkaloids, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone and T-2 and HT-2 toxins. More detailed information can be found here.
Fera has carried out many research projects and surveillance exercises for the UK Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland, EFSA and commercial customers. The toxins studied include trichothecenes, ochratoxin A, aflatoxins, sterigmatocystin and ergot alkaloids.
Some plants form toxins as part of their natural defence against insects and diseases. Typically these plants are not normally consumed, however they may appear as weeds in food crops resulting in their leaves or seeds becoming mixed accidentally with the main crop. This can lead to low concentrations of these toxins occurring in some foods such as cereals, herbal based products, teas and salad crops. Examples of these toxins are tropane alkaloids and pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
Other plant toxins are present naturally in some food plants e.g. erucic acid in some oils, opium alkaloids in poppy seeds or hydrocyanic acid in apricot kernels
Legislation
Mycotoxins
Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2006/1881/contents) sets maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs. Mycotoxins specifically covered are: aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1 and G2, and M1), ochratoxin A, patulin, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, fumonisins B1 and B2 and citrinin. In addition, maximum levels are set for ergot sclerotia. In the EU maximum limits for certain contaminants in food are set in Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915, this includes ergot alkaloids and T-2 and HT-2 toxins. This legislation does not apply in GB as it was introduced after EU Exit.
Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 401/2006 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2006/401/contents) prescribes the methods to be used for sampling and analysis of mycotoxins for enforcement purposes.
Plant Toxins
Maximum levels have established for erucic acid, tropane alkaloids and hydrocyanic acid in https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2006/1881/contents
In the EU Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 sets maximum limits for pyrrolizidine alkaloids and tropane alkaloids and cyanogenic glycosides in additional food products. This legislation does not apply in GB as it was introduced after EU Exit.
Resources
Food Standards Agency
Information on Mycotoxins for industry and enforcement bodies including sampling advice, special import conditions and Codes of Practice to prevent mycotoxins can be found here.
Information about legislation for plant toxins and guidance on cyanide in apricot kernels and opium alkaloids in poppy seeds can be found here.
The Chemical Safety Contaminants Catalogue gives more information about mycotoxins and plant toxins, can be found here.