Objectives
Man-made contaminants are widespread in our environment. They may enter the food chain and occur in plant and animal products we eat, entailing in some cases a risk of adverse effects. However, natural components of the food may also be toxic. These are known as natural toxins. Examples include plant toxins like glycoalkaloids in potatoes, lectins in improperly cooked pulses and mycotoxins produced by moulds and other fungi that can contaminate for example cereal crops (e.g. ochratoxin A) or nuts (aflatoxins).
Natural toxins can be both acutely toxic after ingestion of a large amount, and harmful if consumed in somewhat lower quantities over a long enough period of time. The Natural Toxins Task Force investigates ways to reduce the production of naturally occurring toxins in crops and how this can improve the quality of foods of plant origin. The task force will therefore consider different agronomic practices, crops and toxins.
Activity
Evaluation of Agronomic Practises for Mitigation of Natural Toxins
The Natural Toxins Task Force will investigate the influence of agronomic practices on the content of mycotoxins, such as trichothecenes (e.g. DON) and plant toxins in agricultural commodities. Addressing topics like organic/conventional agriculture, toxin interactions, climate change, different fungi strains, fertilisation, crop residue management and predictive modelling, guidance will be provided on Good Agricultural Practices to reduce the toxin level in plants. Depending on the outcome of the review, an additional task for the Expert Group could be to establish criteria for a certain standardisation in the definition and comparison of agronomic practices.
A complementary report will address ways on how to lower the use of pesticides, fungicides and insecticides in the production of plant products.
A brainstorming meeting was held on 3 July 2007 to further define the scope of the project and to identify the members of the new Expert Group.
Task Force Collaborators
The scientists below participate in the task force and expert groups:
Experts from supporting member companies
Dr. Clare Hazel, RHM Technology (UK)
Ms. Irene Kampen, Royal Numico (NL)
Dr. Irène Perrin, Nestlé (CH)
Experts from public institutes
Dr. Gerrit Alink, Wageningen University (NL)
Dr. Sarah de Saeger, Ghent University (BE)
Dr. Simon Edwards, Harper Adams University College (UK)
Dr. Kerstin Hell, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (BJ)
Prof. Naresh Magan, Cranfield University (UK)
Dr. Kirsten Pilegaard, Technical University of Denmark (DK)
Dr. Josef Schlatter, Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (CH)
Expert from consultancy
Dr. Gerrit Speijers (NL)
Publications:
C. Hazel, R. Walker Guest eds. Ochratoxin A in Food : Recent Developments and Significance. Food Additives and Contaminants 2005;22(1):1-107. (Proceedings)
S.W. Page Guest ed. Trichothecenes with a Special Focus on DON. Toxicology Letters 2004;153(1):1-190. (Proceedings)
Summary Report published in the ILSI Europe Report Series 2004:1-36
B. Schilter, C. Andersson et al. Guidance for the Safety Assessment of Botanicals and Botanical Preparation with Use in Food and Food Supplements. Food and Chemical Toxicology 2003;41(12):1625-1649.
Also published in the ILSI Europe Report Series 2003:1-47.
To download the poster of the task force, click here.
For more information contact info@ilsieurope.be