FSA News Item, 23 July 2007
A copy of the FSA guidance document is available at: FSA Mycotoxin Guidance Document
The Agency has today published sampling advice for enforcement authorities and food business operators on the legislation regarding mycotoxins in foodstuffs and the official methods of sampling certain foods for mycotoxins.
The guidance document should be read in conjunction with the relevant legislation. It is not a statutory code of practice or a substitute for the regulations, decisions or statutory instruments to which it refers.
What are mycotoxins?
Mycotoxins are toxic substances produced by some fungi, and can be hazardous to human and animal health, even at low concentrations. Mycotoxins can be present in our diet as a result of the growth of specific fungi on food crops, either in the field or in storage.
The toxins are found in a wide range of foods from around the world, but particularly in foods from countries with climates of high temperature and humidity.
There are a number of contaminants covered by mycotoxins and these include aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, the fusarium toxins and patulin.