Mycotoxins in Feed Grains and Ingredients Click on the image above to download a complete copy of this publication in PDF format. Download a free copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader. The word mycotoxin was derived from mycotoxicosis, which was a term first used in 1955 to describe diseases of animals caused by fungal toxins. The presence of mycotoxins in feed grains or ingredients may cause illness or death in livestock.
Mycotoxins also pose a potential hazard to human health.
Dust emitted while handling contaminated grain and ingredients also may contain mycotoxins, thereby posing a health threat to individuals who inhale these contaminants. Aflatoxins are the most notorious mycotoxin due to their early discovery and the abundant amount of research information available compared to other mycotoxins. These toxins were isolated and identified in 1961, following a 1960 incident in which 100,000 turkey poults in the British Isles died from eating feed containing contaminated peanut meal. Aflatoxin may occur in the field and in storage. Droughts and accompanying high temperatures during grain fill are conducive to fungal invasion and mycotoxin production in corn.