Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by certain moulds, notably from the genera Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium, which can contaminate plant raw materials such as corn, [wheat](/glossary/wheat) or peanuts, either before or after harvest when storage is poor. In animal food they pose a genuine health risk, because cooking by [extrusion](/glossary/extrusion) does not fully destroy them, and their effects vary with the specific toxin and dose, ranging from liver damage to immune suppression and digestive upset (FDA; EFSA). The main families monitored include [aflatoxins](/glossary/aflatoxins), ochratoxin A, fumonisins, deoxynivalenol and zearalenone, and premium manufacturers test incoming grain batches and apply internal limits supported by [HACCP](/glossary/haccp) plans. Mycotoxin contamination has triggered several [product recalls](/glossary/product-recall) worldwide, so a traceable supply chain and routine analysis remain the best safeguards. A point that surprises some owners: [grain-free](/glossary/grain-free) diets are not automatically risk-free, since other plant ingredients can also carry mould contamination under the wrong storage conditions. The marker: mycotoxins are a heat-resistant contamination hazard managed mainly through sourcing and storage control rather than cooking, which makes raw-material vigilance and [traceability](/glossary/traceability) the front line, as detailed in the [Petipedia glossary](/glossary).

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