Worldwide contamination of food-crops with mycotoxins: Validity of the widely cited 'FAO estimate' of 25

Prior to 1985 the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated global food crop contamination with mycotoxins to be 25%. The origin of this statement is largely unknown. To assess the rationale for it, the relevant literature was reviewed and data of around 500,000 analyses from the European Fo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Critical reviews in food science and nutrition Vol. 60; no. 16; pp. 2773 - 2789
Main Authors: Eskola, Mari, Kos, Gregor, Elliott, Christopher T., Hajšlová, Jana, Mayar, Sultan, Krska, Rudolf
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States Taylor & Francis 07.09.2020
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects:
Aflatoxins
Agricultural pollution
analysis
Cereals
Chemical contaminant
Climate change
Codex Alimentarius
Contamination
data
Deoxynivalenol
detection limit
Environmental impact
European Union
Food
Food and Agriculture Organization
Food contamination
food crops
food safety
Fumonisins
Health risks
Legislation
Mycotoxins
Nuts
occurrence
Ochratoxin A
surveys
Toxins
uncertainty
Zearalenone
cereals
occurrence
data
analysis
uncertainty
Chemical contaminant
ISSN:1040-8398, 1549-7852, 1549-7852
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Prior to 1985 the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated global food crop contamination with mycotoxins to be 25%. The origin of this statement is largely unknown. To assess the rationale for it, the relevant literature was reviewed and data of around 500,000 analyses from the European Food Safety Authority and large global survey for aflatoxins, fumonisins, deoxynivalenol, T-2 and HT-2 toxins, zearalenone and ochratoxin A in cereals and nuts were examined. Using different thresholds, i.e. limit of detection, the lower and upper regulatory limits of European Union (EU) legislation and Codex Alimentarius standards, the mycotoxin occurrence was estimated. Impact of different aspects on uncertainty of the occurrence estimates presented in literature and related to our results are critically discussed. Current mycotoxin occurrence above the EU and Codex limits appears to confirm the FAO 25% estimate, while this figure greatly underestimates the occurrence above the detectable levels (up to 60-80%). The high occurrence is likely explained by a combination of the improved sensitivity of analytical methods and impact of climate change. It is of immense importance that the detectable levels are not overlooked as through diets, humans are exposed to mycotoxin mixtures which can induce combined adverse health effects.
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ISSN:1040-8398
1549-7852
1549-7852
DOI:10.1080/10408398.2019.1658570