What are Mycotoxins

Simply put, a mycotoxin is a toxin produced by mold. To be more specific, mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by mold when stressed by environmental factors. What do we mean by that?

Mycotoxin contamination is caused by interactions among the mold, the host and the environment. The combination of these factors determine the level of infestation, colonization, and concentration of mycotoxin produced. Water stress, high-temperature stress, and insect damage of the host plant are major determining factors in mold infestation and toxin production. Similarly, specific crop growth stages, poor fertility, high crop densities, and weed competition have been associated with increased mold growth and toxin production.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Novus
• video
• animal feed
• mycotoxin
• crops
• mould
• mold
• Novus International
• health
• nutrition