Mycotoxins: Risk analysis, general principles and procedures

Food safety is considered as a set of preventive measures aimed to preventing the illness resulting from the consumption of contaminated food. Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites of toxigenic molds that enter humans and animals most commonly via contaminated foods. Mycotoxins ingestion can produce both acute and chronic diseases-myotoxicosis, most commonly as a result of chronic exposure. In general, mycotoxins are known as very stable chemical compounds that are not destroyed by conventional technological processing, which makes it practicaly impossible to avoid in food. Thus, it is assumed that humans are constantly exposed to mycotoxins, most often in low concentrations. The negative effect of the presence of mycotoxins in foods reflects not only on the food safety but on the national economy and trade. Modern approach to food safety is based on risk analysis. Risk analysis, especially mycotoxins in our country, is underdeveloped. Therefore, this paper aims to inform the scientific and professional community not only about the significance of mycotoxins, but also about the mechanism of risk analysis of mycotoxins.