Mycotoxins are the toxic products of
certain microscopic fungi which, in some
circumstances, develop on or in foodstuffs
of plant or animal origin. They are
ubiquitous and widespread at all levels of
the food chain. Hundreds of mycotoxins
have been identified and are produced by
some 200 varieties of fungi. The most
important ones from the food safety point
of view are discussed individually in the
following sections. In terms of their
implications for human health and the
economy, mycotoxins are by far the most
important contaminants of the food chain.