What Are Mycotoxins?
The WHO defines mycotoxins as toxic compounds naturally produced by certain types of moulds, which grow on numerous foodstuffs such as cereals, dried fruits, nuts and spices. It says several hundred have been identified, and the ones most commonly observed that present a concern to human health and livestock include aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, patulin, fumonisins, zearalenone and nivalenol or deoxynivalenol.
Aflatoxins are the most studied. The WHO says large doses can lead to acute poisoning, called aflatoxicosis, which can be life threatening, usually through damage to the liver, that aflatoxins are genotoxic, and that there is also evidence they can cause liver cancer in humans. The National Toxicology Program lists aflatoxins as known to be human carcinogens based on sufficient evidence from studies in humans.
The FDA says the foods most susceptible to aflatoxins include peanuts, corn, tree nuts such as Brazil nuts and pistachios, and some small grains such as rice, and that aflatoxin M1 is also found in milk of cows that eat aflatoxin B1 contaminated crops. Its compliance policy guide says the FDA may consider human food containing total aflatoxins greater than 20 parts per billion to be adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Government sourceThe WHO defines mycotoxins as toxic compounds naturally produced by certain moulds, which grow on foodstuffs such as cereals, dried fruits, nuts and spices. World Health Organization ↗
- Government sourceThe WHO says the most commonly observed mycotoxins of concern to human health and livestock include aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, patulin, fumonisins, zearalenone and nivalenol or deoxynivalenol. World Health Organization ↗
- Government sourceThe WHO says large doses of aflatoxins can lead to acute poisoning that can be life threatening, usually through liver damage, and that there is evidence they can cause liver cancer in humans. World Health Organization ↗
- Government sourceThe FDA says the foods most susceptible to aflatoxins include peanuts, corn, tree nuts such as Brazil nuts and pistachios, and some small grains such as rice. US FDA ↗
- Regulatory filingThe FDA says it may consider human food containing total aflatoxins greater than 20 parts per billion to be adulterated within the meaning of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. US FDA, Compliance Policy Guide 555.400 ↗
- Government sourceThe National Toxicology Program lists aflatoxins as known to be human carcinogens based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in humans. National Toxicology Program, Report on Carcinogens, via NCBI Bookshelf ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.