Perspective on Aflatoxin in Field Crops and Animal Food Products in the United States: A Symposium. Held in Washington, D.C. on January 23-24, 1990

摘要

Aflatoxin is the most toxic of many naturally occurring toxins produced by fungi. Because of its extreme toxicity, the presence of even very low amounts of aflatoxin is believed to pose a risk to human health, is a perceived consumer food-safety issue and has caused severe economic losses to producers and to food handlers and processors. The symposium was held to review (1) the identification of the aflatoxin problem through analysis and incidence of aflatoxin field crops, (2) aflatoxin presence in field crops and prevention strategies, (3) marketing strategies to reduce or eliminate aflatoxin in field crops, (4) monitoring aflatoxins in animal tissues and fluids as a method of assessing contamination of feeds and exposure of animals, (5) prevention strategies for aflatoxicosis in farm animals, and (6) guidelines for assessing risks associated with aflatoxins in field crops.