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Toxins
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Challenges of Mycotoxins in Food Chains: Occurrence, Detection and Control
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Challenges of Mycotoxins in Food Chains: Occurrence, Detection and Control

A special issue of Toxins (ISSN 2072-6651). This special issue belongs to the section "Mycotoxins".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 3039

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Larine Kupski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemistry and Food, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande 96203-900, Brazil
Interests: mycotoxins; food science; analytical methods; biotechnology; enzymatic treatments
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Eliana Badiale Furlong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemistry and Food, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande 96203-900, Brazil
Interests: mycotoxins; food science; contaminations; risk of contamination in the food production
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mycotoxins continue to be one of the most important worldwide challenge to produce safe food, causing serious harm to both human and animal health as well as large financial losses for the agri-food industry Although the progress made in understanding their biosynthesis, toxicological mechanisms, and regulatory thresholds, critical issues persist regarding their unpredictable occurrence, the limitations of current detection methods in complex food matrices, and the effectiveness of preventive and control strategies along the food chain. Climate change, which is altering fungal ecology and affecting the occurrence of mycotoxins globally, exacerbates these difficulties even more.

This Special Issue, Challenges of Mycotoxins in Food Chains: Occurrence, Detection and Control, aims to compile the most recent studies and reviews that cover the full range of mycotoxin risk. The prevalence and co-occurrence of mycotoxins in raw materials and processed foods, the advancement of sensitive and quick analytical methods, the use of omics and biomarker-based methods, risk assessment models, and creative pre- and post-harvest control methods are all areas that are open to contributions. We also encourage studies that examine the regulatory environment and real-world uses for ensuring safe food.

Dr. Larine Kupski
Prof. Dr. Eliana Badiale Furlong
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxins is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mycotoxins
  • food safety
  • analytical methods
  • risk assessment
  • control strategies

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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16 pages, 11015 KB  
Article
Occurrence, Distribution Characteristics, Risk Assessment, and Climatic Drivers of Type B Trichothecenes and Their Transformation Products in Major Wheat-Producing Areas of China
by Jie Wang, Yu Wu, Di Cai, Li Li, Songshan Wang, Yu Zhang, Xiaomin Han, Songxue Wang, Leiqing Pan and Jin Ye
Toxins 2026, 18(3), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins18030150 - 21 Mar 2026
Viewed by 561
Abstract
Type B trichothecenes (B-TCTs), predominant mycotoxins in wheat, threaten human health. However, their contamination profile in China, a major wheat producer, remains unclear. This study analyzed 1337 wheat samples (2022–2024) from main production areas using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and deterministic assessment to investigate [...] Read more.
Type B trichothecenes (B-TCTs), predominant mycotoxins in wheat, threaten human health. However, their contamination profile in China, a major wheat producer, remains unclear. This study analyzed 1337 wheat samples (2022–2024) from main production areas using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and deterministic assessment to investigate B-TCTs’ watershed-scale distribution, spatiotemporal variations, associated health risks, and key climatic drivers. Results indicate that deoxynivalenol (DON) and its transformation product DON-3-glucoside (DON-3G) were the predominant contaminants, while nivalenol (NIV) was detected in specific river basins. Although overall exposure was low, elevated risks were identified in certain basins during particular years, especially for young children. DON-3G contributed 23.5% to total DON exposure. Relative humidity (rs = 0.34, p < 0.01), precipitation (rs = 0.37, p < 0.01), and its duration (rs = 0.38, p < 0.01) during the flowering-to-harvest period were identified as critical climatic drivers. The findings highlight the need to include DON-3G in food safety regulations and to develop climate-adapted control strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges of Mycotoxins in Food Chains: Occurrence, Detection and Control)
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27 pages, 6706 KB  
Article
From Surface Colonies to Internal Contamination: A Comprehensive Investigation of Alternaria alternata Growth, Toxinogenesis, and Mycotoxin Migration Dynamics in Cherry Tomato Fruit Matrix
by Huynh Minh Tan Trinh, Léna Dole, Coline Nazet, Christophe Jourdan, Véronique Martinez, Charlie Poss, Noël Durand, Caroline Strub, Angélique Fontana-Tachon and Sabine Schorr-Galindo
Toxins 2026, 18(2), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins18020070 - 27 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1183
Abstract
Alternaria alternata is a common postharvest mold affecting tomato products, including cherry tomatoes, and causing their contamination with mycotoxins. When consumers encounter moldy fruits, some may remove the visibly contaminated part and consume the rest, to reduce waste. However, the extent to which [...] Read more.
Alternaria alternata is a common postharvest mold affecting tomato products, including cherry tomatoes, and causing their contamination with mycotoxins. When consumers encounter moldy fruits, some may remove the visibly contaminated part and consume the rest, to reduce waste. However, the extent to which A. alternata toxins migrate beyond visible fungal growth remains unclear, potentially posing health risks. This study investigated (i) the within-fruit migration of A. alternata in cherry tomatoes together with the associated mycotoxin production, and (ii) the diffusion of purified Alternaria toxins in tomatoes in the absence of any fungal activity. Toxins were quantified using LC-MS/MS, while fungal colonization was assessed through visual inspection and DNA quantification across fruit sections. In the absence of fungal growth, toxins remained largely confined to the spiking site and were degraded over time. In contrast, in inoculated samples, Alternaria DNA was detected at notable levels even in sections lacking visible fungal growth, while Alternaria toxins were found both in these regions and in lower fruit sections where fungal DNA was below the qPCR detection limit. These findings highlight the limitations of relying solely on visual inspection to assess food safety. A consumer recommendation is proposed to help minimize health risks while reducing food waste. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges of Mycotoxins in Food Chains: Occurrence, Detection and Control)
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14 pages, 1561 KB  
Systematic Review
Impact of Protein Concentrate Production on Mycotoxin Mitigation: A Systematic Review
by Caroline Senna, Marianna Cruz, Larine Kupski and Eliana Badiale-Furlong
Toxins 2025, 17(12), 572; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins17120572 - 26 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 820
Abstract
The plant-based protein industry has explored new material sources, such as agro-industrial by-products and extraction techniques based on chemical properties assisted by ultrasound, high pressure and other tools to improve the yield and functionality of protein concentrates. However, promising by-products from vegetable processing [...] Read more.
The plant-based protein industry has explored new material sources, such as agro-industrial by-products and extraction techniques based on chemical properties assisted by ultrasound, high pressure and other tools to improve the yield and functionality of protein concentrates. However, promising by-products from vegetable processing are susceptible to incidental and natural contaminants, mainly mycotoxins. Adopting sustainable strategies and understanding how they affect mycotoxin fate during processing remains a challenge to ensure food security. In this study, a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis were conducted to identify reliable pre-treatments and treatments for producing protein concentrates and evaluate the efficiency of technologies to mitigate mycotoxin bioaccessibility. Searching for research in Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect (2010–2024) identified 3688 scientific articles on techniques to improve the yield and functionality of recovered proteins, but only three studies addressed mycotoxin fate. Aflatoxin, the most prevalent mycotoxin in raw materials, was the only one considered, highlighting that chemical and enzymatic treatments may help mitigate mycotoxicological risks in protein concentrates. Results indicate a gap in plant-based food security regarding mycotoxin contamination, which must be addressed through mitigation strategies aligned with efficient processes to ensure sustainable and safe plant protein-based foods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges of Mycotoxins in Food Chains: Occurrence, Detection and Control)
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