Systematic review of mycotoxins in food and feeds in Turkey

Mycotoxins are toxic natural contaminants of food and feeds and are produced by various fungi fromAspergillus,Alternaria,Fusarium, andPenicilliumgenera. Molds and their toxins have attracted much attention worldwide dueto the important economic losses related to their effects on human health and domestic and international trade.Although more than 400 mycotoxins have been identified, most studies have focused on aflatoxins, ochratoxin A,fusarium toxins, zearalenone, patulin, and trichothecenes owing to their relationships with food safety andeconomic losses. In Turkey, the dramatic variations in climatic conditions among regions have facilitated thespread of various foodborne mycotoxins. Accordingly, in this systematic review, a summary of the occurrenceand contamination levels of foodborne mycotoxins in Turkey was provided. Based on the literature review,mycotoxin levels were shown to exceed the limits designated by the European Union in apple juice (35%), milk(21%), dairy products (12%), dried fruits and vegetables (11%), herbs (10%), cereal and cereal products (2%),nuts (1%), and feeds (1%). Thus, there is a need for additional studies on the mycotoxin prevalence in all types offoods and feeds throughout Turkey, and education programs on mycotoxin management are important for re-ducing the prevalence of mycotoxin contamination