Mycotoxins induce adverse effects in humans and other vertebrate animals. Their production is determined by ecological and environmental factors (temperature, humidity and substrate water activity). The preponderance of specialized fungi in particular niches determines the type and range of...

This chapter discusses the different classes of mycotoxins (i.e., aflatoxins, ochratoxins, trichothecenes, ergot alkaloids, patulin, fumonisins, zearalenone), their formation and important toxic effects, as well as related regulatory legislation for their control in food products.

Contamination of cereal commodities with mycotoxins represents a significant hazard to consumer health and is receiving increasing attention from food safety authorities and legislators. The most important mycotoxins in small cereal grains in Europe are trichothecenes, including nivalenol,...

The genetic control of resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB) in barley and wheat is reviewed. This disease, which can reach epidemic proportions under certain climatic conditions, is caused by various Fusarium species and affects grain yield and quality detrimentally, resulting in important...

This chapter reviews the origin and chemical nature, distribution in foods, toxicology and risk management (regulatory control, preventive strategies, remedial measures) of mycotoxins that are likely to prejudice human health, with particular emphasis on recent evidence indicating continuing human...

The production and biological activity of selected toxic metabolites of fungal biological control agents are reviewed. These metabolites include destruxins, oxalic salts, trichothecenes, zearalenone, fumonisins, fusaric acid and aflatoxin isolated from Metarhizium anisopliae, Beauveria bassiana,...