Introduction

"Quality Control Measures in the Production and Processing Chain to Reduce Fusarium Mycotoxin Contamination of Food and Feed Grains"

Two wheat lines used in the Fusarium-mycotoxin program of Plant Research International, both inoculated with Fusarium culmorum.
Resistant wheat line	Susceptible wheat line

Fusarium fungi are an important problem in the whole cereal food and feed chain, because they can reduce production and leave mycotoxins in the grain, which cause serious illness and immune-repression in humans and animals. The mycotoxin problem is the result of events at the start of the chain, due to fungal infestation of cereals during the growth, while the negative effects are found at the end of the chain, in food and feed products.

Therefore, the long term objective of this Concerted Action is to establish a working relationship at the European level between all the partners of the production chain of cereal based food and feed products. By means of an effective collaboration the mycotoxin contamination due to Fusarium fungi in cereal based food and feed production can be prevented.

Last updated 10/01/2002 by Marian van Harmelen