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Content archived on 2024-05-14

Quality control measures in the production and processing chain to reduce fusarium mycotoxin contamination of food and feed grains

Objective

Fusarium fungi are an important problem in the whole cereal food and feed chain because of adverse effects on grain production and mycotoxin contamination of the grain. Mycotoxins cause serious illness and immuno-repression in humans and animals. The mycotoxin problem is the result of events at the start of the chain, due to fungal infestation during the growing of the cereal crop, while the negative effects are found at the end of the chain, in food and feed products. The control of this problem therefore calls for collaboration throughout the chain of production and processing, which at present is not the case.

Therefore the long term objective of this Concerted Action is to establish a working relationship at the European level between all those parties active in the production chain of cereal based food and feed products to be able to prevent mycotoxin contamination due to Fusarium fungi in cereal based food and feed production by means of an effective collaboration .

The subjects of this Concerted Action, are firstly the trichothecenes DON (deoxynivalenol), ADON (acetyldeoxynivalenol) and NIV (nivalenol), as produced by the fungi Fusarium graminearum and F. Culmorum, which cause inhibition of protein synthesis in eukaryotic cells, dermal toxicity, heamorrhagic lesions, destruction of heamatopoietic organs, and depression of immune responses. The trichothecenes have been known for a long time. Relatively recently, in 1988, a new, important group of Fusarium mycotoxins has been identified in cereals, the fumonisins, produced mainly by F. Moniliforme in maize. There are strong indications that the fumonisins are associated with a high incidence of human oesophageal cancer in parts of South Africa and China.

Within the timeframe of this Concerted Action we aim to achieve fungi throughout the whole production chain of cereals, in particular F. Graminearum, F. Cu/morum and F. Moniliforme. Mycotoxin contamination of cereal based products. Throughout production and manufacturing of food and feed products.

To that end we will organise workshops, set up an active internet site, promote the exchange of staff for training, and produce a working document presenting a strategy which the cereal production chain can adopt to ensure low or absence of contamination of products with trichothecenes and fumonisins.

This Concerted Action is unique because it brings together for the first time representatives from all part of the cereal production chain. The partners represent plant breeding, primary production, storage, processing and food quality inspection agencies. Apart from universities, research organisations, governmental regulatory agencies also industrial partners from all parts of the production chain will participate.

This approach and this partnership will show the possibilities that there are within the production chain of cereal based food and feed products to prevent contamination of the end products with Fusarium Mycotoxins, a valuable contribution to the already high quality standards of European cereal products.

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CON - Coordination of research actions

Coordinator

Dienst Landbouwkundig Onderzoek
EU contribution
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Address

6700 AA Wageningen
Netherlands

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