[Relevance of mycotoxin contaminated feed for farm animals and carryover of mycotoxins to food of animal origin].

Contaminated feed is the main source for mycotoxin infestation of farm animals. The oral intake of fungal metabolites with feed results in a negative impact on all relevant parameters of animal production. Moreover, under experimental conditions mycotoxins and/or their metabolites can be traced in meat, edible tissues, milk and eggs. However due to the high concentrations of toxins involved, such findings are rare in the daily practice. In Germany today only aflatoxins (aflatoxin M1 in milk) and ochratoxin A (in blood, meat and edible tissues from swine) are of practical relevance from the view of food hygiene and food safety. Other mycotoxins at present discussed like toxins of Fusaria (trichothecenes, zearaleone, fumonisins) and ergot alkaloids are of no importance as possible contaminants in food from animal origin although they could have a negative impact on animal production.