What are mycotoxins? Why control them?

- Mycotoxins (mold toxins) are toxic compounds produced by molds during storage and production of food and animal feed materials such as corn, soybeans, wheat, coffee…

👉 What makes them dangerous is that they:

  • Cannot be seen with the naked eye
  • Are not completely destroyed when cooked
  • Seriously affect human & livestock health

➡️ For that very reason, rapid mycotoxin testing is becoming a mandatory solution in quality control.

The top 5 most dangerous mycotoxins

1. Aflatoxin — the "No. 1 killer" in food

- The mycotoxin Aflatoxin is produced by the fungi Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus

- Commonly found in: corn, peanuts, animal feed

- An extremely powerful liver carcinogen

👉 This is a mandatory parameter in:

  • Exporting agricultural products
  • Controlling incoming raw materials

2. Ochratoxin A (OTA) — the risk to kidneys

- The Ochratoxin toxin is produced by Aspergillus and Penicillium

- Found in: coffee, cereals, wine

👉 Especially dangerous in the:

  • Coffee export industry
  • Cereals industry

3. DON (Deoxynivalenol) — the vomiting toxin

- The DON toxin is created by the mold Fusarium- Abundant in: wheat, corn

- Causes: vomiting, loss of appetite, reduced livestock productivity

👉 Very common in animal feed

4. Zearalenone (ZEN) — endocrine effects

- The Zearalenone toxin is produced by

Fusarium- Found in: corn, wheat, cattle feed- Causes reproductive disorders and affects hormones

👉 Especially dangerous for: pigs, cattle and poultry

5. Fumonisin — the silent threat in corn

- The Fumonisin toxin is produced by

Fusarium verticillioides

- Mostly in: corn and corn products- Causes: lung disease in pigs, liver damage

⚡ The control solution: rapid mycotoxin testing

In practice, businesses cannot wait for laboratory results (HPLC/LC-MS) because:

- It takes time (2–5 days)

- High cost

The most optimal solution today is

✔️ Rapid mycotoxin testing with R-Biopharm kits

The most optimal solution today is

✔️ Rapid mycotoxin testing with R-Biopharm kits

* Advantages

- Results in just 5–10 minutes

- High accuracy, equivalent to the standard method

- Easy to use in the factory

- Rapid checks of incoming materials

* Applications

- Animal feed factories

- Agricultural export businesses

- Food, coffee and dairy factories

When should you test for mycotoxins?

Businesses should test when:

- Receiving new raw materials

- Before production

- Before shipping goods

- When materials are suspected of being damp or moldy

Mycotoxins are an invisible but extremely dangerous hazard in the food and feed production chain.

- Understanding the toxin types

- Combining rapid mycotoxin testing

will help businesses:

- Avoid the risk of rejected shipments

- Protect the brand

- Ensure food safety.