Mycotoxins - advice for cereal farmers

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued new guidance for farmers to help reduce the levels of mycotoxins in cereal crops. 

Mycotoxins are poisonous compounds that may, under some conditions, be produced by certain species of fungi. The guidance highlights ways to reduce fusarium toxin in field and ochratoxin in storage. Visit the Food Standards Agency website for further information.

Wheat - Deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination

The wet weather in summer is ideal growing conditions for mycotoxins. As a result Deoxynivalenol (DON) has been detected in wheat above permitted levels causing a significant number of batch consignment rejections at mills for processing into flour etc. For human consumption, the maximum level of DON permitted in wheat consignments is 1250 parts per billion.  The Food Standards Agency (FSA)advises that routine testing by the producer should be carried out on consignments deemed to be high risk, prior to them being sent for first stage processing

A rejected wheat consignment can either go into the animal food chain if adhering to the requirements as detailed below* or for biofuels only. Under no circumstances should the consignment re-enter the human food chain.

If the importer has imported the wheat from a third country as food to go directly for first stage processing, then any diversion into the feed chain must be done under official control. Otherwise, if it is already on the Community market, switching to feed does not have to be done under official controls, but because the consignment is not in compliance with food safety requirements, there is an obligation to inform and co-operate with the competent authority i.e. FSA and local Trading Standards authority.

The FSA  Code of Practice on the reduction of mycotoxins in crops is accessible at the Food Standards Agency website.

For further information please contact your local trading standards office.

*The guidance value for DON in feed - cereals and cereal products (with the exception of maize by-products) is 8 mg/kg (8000 ug/kg).  Other guidance values apply for compound feed (5 mg/kg for most animal categories, 0.9 mg/kg (900 ug/kg) for products for pigs and 2 mg/kg (2000 ug/kg) for products intended for calves, lambs or kids).