Worldwide regulations for mycotoxins in food and feed in 2003

Since the discovery of the aflatoxins in the 1960s, mycotoxin regulations have been established in many countries, both to protect the consumer from the harmful effects of these toxins that may contaminate foodstuffs and to ensure fair practices in food trade. The present publication is an update of FAO Food and Nutrition Paper No. 64 (1977) and describes the situation of worldwide mycotoxin regulation as of December 2003, based on an international enquiry carried out in 2002/2003. The number of countries with specific regulations for mycotoxins has greatly increased over the years, reflecting the general concern that governments have about the potential effects of mycotoxins on human and animal health and their implications for trade.