Mycotoxins produced by molds are common contaminants of many important
crops, including wheat, corn, rice, and peanuts. Some mycotoxins are
found in fruits and vegetables. These contaminants have a broad range of
toxic effects, including carcinogenicity, neurotoxicity, and
reproductive and developmental toxicity. The occurrence of mycotoxins in
foods is an unavoidable worldwide problem. About 80 countries have
imposed regulatory limits to minimize human and animal exposure to
mycotoxins. Regulatory limits, including international standards, have
tremendous economic impact and must be developed using science-based
risk assessments. The purpose of Mycotoxin Protocols is to provide the
scientific and technological basis for analytical methods for use in
obtaining the exposure data needed for risk assessments. Mycotoxin
Protocols is divided into four sections, which are interc- nected. The
first section: Chapters 1-5 describe the general techniques for
mycotoxin analysis with emphasis on the importance of method validation
based on statistical parameters; sampling procedures for collecting a
sample as representative as possible of a bulk lot; the isolation of
mycotoxins for use as analytical standards or for toxicological studies;
the evaluation of purity and preparation of standards; and the detection
and identification of impu- ties in isolated mycotoxins. Sections 2-4:
Chapters 6-19 describe the most current chromatographic and
immunochemical methods for studies on the major mycotoxins.
