Abstract

This work focuses on two outstanding undesirable substances of the Community legislation, namely mycotoxins and dioxins. As regards the former, the importance of mycotoxins in the context of food and feed safety is outlined, and the developments of legislation on this topic are given. In addition, some aspects of mycotoxin analysis as well as methods of mycotoxin prevention in the food chain, within the framework of traceability, are highlighted. Part 2 will be dealt with presence of dioxins in feeds and the problems of food contamination.

INTRODUCTION

The significance of products of animal origin i.e. milk, meat, eggs, as human foods is obvious. In modern agricultural practices, the aim of maximizing profits by minimizing costs through the recycling of wastes tends to be widespread and it appears that contamination of agricultural products with undesirable substances is almost unavoidable. The topic of risk of food contamination with toxic substances present in animal feed has been recently reviewed (1), while an account on the transfer of chemicals from feed to animal products has been also given (2). Although people in first instance focus on safety of foods as these stand in super-market selves, however, after the introduction of the “traceability” concept, consumers understood firmly that food crises usually originate at an earlier stage, possibly in the manufacturing industry or even in the field. This, in case of animal products, takes place at the feed level. Thus, food and feed constitute communicating vessels. The importance of feed sector in relation to food safety has been documented (3). In addition, contamination of animal feed can occur in a more or less biological way, ...