## 1 Introduction  
Beverages are among the many food product groups at risk of contamination by harmful mycotoxins. These mycotoxins may have been formed in an agricultural product before beverage manufacture, or they may be formed during manufacturing. Mycotoxins are unlikely to be formed during storage of the finished product after manufacture, because ofective sterilization and storage conditions are almost always used to maximize shelf life. Mycotoxins in formation during manufacturing is a particular concern with fermented beverages. Understanding the formation and fate of mycotoxins in manufactured foods is of interest because of the possible need to alter steps in the manufacturing processes either to prevent formation of mycotoxins or more frequently, to remove them. The bulk of the research on mycotoxins in beverages has been focused on the presence of patulin in fruit juices, particularly apple juice, and on ochratoxin A (OTA) in beer, wine and coffee. These two mycotoxins will form the basis of the present review. However, there have been a variety of less extensive studies on other mycotoxins in other beverages such as aflatoxin or 1 in milk [1] and grain-derived trichothecenes and zearalenones in beer [2], which will not be covered here. Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by several steps of _Pemillium, Aspergillus_ and _Byssochlamys_[3]. Due to its solubility in water it is a common contaminant of apples used for the production of apple-juice concentrates 14. Patulin has also been found in pears, apricots, peaches, grapes and oranges, as well as products derived from these fruits [3]. Patulin is stable in an acidic environment and is not destroyed during thermal processing; therefore, it may exist in juices even after processing [5; 6]. Patulin has been classified as a group 3 carcinogen, which means that there is no evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and that data in experimental animals on carcinogenesis is sparse [7]. Although few studies have reported patulin to be both teratogenic and genotoxic [8; 9]. Patulin toxicity is believed to be due to its reactions with sulphhydryl groups, proteins and amino acids in the plasma membrane [10; 11]. It is reported to cause depletion of glutathione, which may result in oxidation damage [12]. In animal studies patulin has been found to damage the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems [13], DNA and many enzymes [14]. Therefore, a provisional maximum tolerable daily intake [MTDI] of 0.4 \(\mu\)g/kg body weight (b.w.) has been established [15]. Based on this PMTDI, patulin is regulated in the European Union at levels of 50 \(\mu\)g/kg in fruit juices and fruit nectars, 25 \(\mu\)g/kg in solid apple products and 10 \(\mu\)g/kg in apple-based products for consumption by infants and young children [16]. OTA is a mycotoxin produced, under particular environmental conditions, by fungi belonging to several species of the genera _Aspergillus_ and _Penicillium_. Many studies have shown that this mycotoxin is frequently present in a series of products, particularly green coffee [17], beer [18] and wine [19]. OTA was first reported in South Africa as a secondary metabolite produced by a strain of _A. ochraceus_[20]. OTA is nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, genotoxic, teratogenic and immunotoxic to animalsand its carcinogenicity in rats and male mice is well-established [21]. It has been linked to Balkan Endemic Nephropathy and the development of human urinary tract tumours [22; 23; 24]. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified OTA as a possible carcinogen to humans (group 2B) [25]. The Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) recommendation for OTA of 100 ng/kg b.w. [26], but the Scientific Committee on Food of the European Union has recommended a lower daily intake (5 ng/kg b.w.) [27]. Nevertheless, the Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) of the European Food Safety Authority recently derived a Tolerable Weekly Intake (TWI) of 120 ng/kg b.w for OTA [28].