Aspergillus-Derived Mycotoxins In The Feed And Food Chain.

Aspergillus-produced mycotoxins can enter the feed and food chain at many points in both preharvest and post-harvest. Although current climate changes seem to speed up the world-wide spread of mycotoxigenic fungi including the Aspergilli and also facilitate the production of these harmful secondary metabolites the factors governing these disadvantageous global processes are only partly understood or even have remained completely hidden until now. This Research Topic summarizes our knowledge on Aspergillus-derived mycotoxins especially focusing on three major areas of on-going research: (i) toxicological, medical, veterinary aspects, prevalence, detection, risk assessment, control strategies, (ii) ecology and biological control of mycotoxigenic Aspergilli in the fields, and (iii) pre-harvest and post-harvest management of mycotoxigenic Aspergilli and their mycotoxin production. We hope that the wealth of information generously provided by the Aspergillus mycotoxin research community will help the hard work of all those experts, who are active in this important field, and the papers collected here will be instructive and illuminating readings for students and the public as well.