![\"Plant](\"https:\/\/www.tomgrimshaw.com\/tomsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Plant_Meat.jpg\")
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\u201cMycotoxins\u2014formed by fungi in foods like wheat, corn, and barley\u2014pose significant health risks to humans, affecting the endocrine and immune systems, damaging the liver and kidneys, contributing to cancer, and affecting fetal development. Recent estimates suggest that approximately 25 percent of crops exceed EU regulatory limits for mycotoxins, with contamination occurring at levels above detectable limits in up to 60\u201380 percent of crops.<\/p>\n
Plant-based meat alternatives contained a high prevalence of emerging Fusarium toxins, ranging from 93\u201399 percent for enniatins (ENNs) and beauvericin (BEA). The prevalence of Alternaria toxins was also significant, ranging from 75\u201386 percent for alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), and tentoxin (TEN).<\/p>\n
Among meat alternatives, legume-based and mixed cereal\u2013legume products were the most affected, with frequent detection of aflatoxins, high occurrence of Fusarium toxins, and the presence of deoxynivalenol (DON). Notably, aflatoxins\u2014classified as Group 1 carcinogens by the World Health Organization (WHO)\u2014were found in up to 82.6 percent of the meat alternatives analyzed, with a higher prevalence (up to 66.7 percent) in legume-based products.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cMycotoxins\u2014formed by fungi in foods like wheat, corn, and barley\u2014pose significant health risks to humans, affecting the endocrine and immune systems, damaging the liver and kidneys, contributing to cancer, and affecting fetal development. Recent estimates suggest that approximately 25 percent of crops exceed EU regulatory limits for mycotoxins, with contamination occurring at levels above detectable … <\/p>\n