9 May 2024 | Borja Muñoz-Solano, Elena Lizarraga Pérez, Elena González-Peñas
The article reviews the monitoring of mycotoxin exposure in food-producing animals (cattle, pigs, poultry, and sheep) over the past five years (2019–2023). Mycotoxins, produced by fungi, pose significant risks to animal health, livestock production, and human health through contaminated foods. The study focuses on both external exposure (feed analysis) and internal exposure (biomarker analysis in biological matrices). LC-MS/MS is the most commonly used analytical technique due to its multidetection capability. Commonly studied mycotoxins include ochratoxin A, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, aflatoxins, fumonisins, T-2, and HT-2, as well as emerging toxins like sterigmatocystin, nivalenol, beauvericin, and emmanins. These toxins were detected in 13,818 feed samples worldwide, often at low levels but occasionally exceeding regulatory limits. The occurrence of multiple mycotoxins is widespread, and co-occurrence studies show that various toxins are frequently found together in feed samples. The article also discusses the challenges and limitations of current monitoring methods, emphasizing the need for further research to develop more effective and comprehensive approaches.The article reviews the monitoring of mycotoxin exposure in food-producing animals (cattle, pigs, poultry, and sheep) over the past five years (2019–2023). Mycotoxins, produced by fungi, pose significant risks to animal health, livestock production, and human health through contaminated foods. The study focuses on both external exposure (feed analysis) and internal exposure (biomarker analysis in biological matrices). LC-MS/MS is the most commonly used analytical technique due to its multidetection capability. Commonly studied mycotoxins include ochratoxin A, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, aflatoxins, fumonisins, T-2, and HT-2, as well as emerging toxins like sterigmatocystin, nivalenol, beauvericin, and emmanins. These toxins were detected in 13,818 feed samples worldwide, often at low levels but occasionally exceeding regulatory limits. The occurrence of multiple mycotoxins is widespread, and co-occurrence studies show that various toxins are frequently found together in feed samples. The article also discusses the challenges and limitations of current monitoring methods, emphasizing the need for further research to develop more effective and comprehensive approaches.