Mycotoxins are toxic substances produced by certain molds that contaminate various agricultural commodities pre or post-harvest. According to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), international trade in agricultural commodities such as wheat, rice, barley, corn, sorghum, soybeans, groundnuts, and oilseeds amounts to hundred million tons each year. Many of these commodities run a high risk of mycotoxin contamination. FAO estimated that about 25% of the world’s agricultural produce is contaminated with mycotoxins. These equate to economic losses estimated at $923 million annually in the US grain industry alone. In fact, there is considerable opportunity for mold and mycotoxin contamination of agricultural commodities throughout the food system – from production to distribution and transport – which may lead to economic losses.
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