Climate Change and the Emerging Risk of Mycotoxin Contamination: A Food Safety Perspective
Keywords:
abiotic stress, agricultural resilience, climate change, food safety, mycotoxins, toxigenic fungi.Abstract
Climate change is a major factor influencing agricultural production and global food security, causing significant changes in the ecology of toxigenic fungi and the profile of food contaminants. Rising average temperatures, humidity fluctuations, and the increased frequency of extreme weather events contribute to intensified abiotic stress on crops and promote conditions favorable to fungal mycotoxin biosynthesis, particularly in corn and wheat. Recent studies highlight a geographical expansion of the risk of mycotoxin contamination in regions previously considered safe, such as Southern and Eastern Europe. Aflatoxins produced by Aspergillus flavus are increasingly reported in areas affected by prolonged drought and high temperatures, whereas Fusarium spp. thrive in humid regions, producing toxins such as deoxynivalenol and zearalenone. These changes threaten not only crop quality but also public health, with potential implications for the incidence of chronic diseases linked to prolonged exposure to food contaminants. To enhance agricultural resilience and ensure consumer protection, it is essential to implement integrated strategies, including applied climate monitoring, the use of resistant crop varieties, improved harvesting and storage practices, and stricter regulations regarding mycotoxin control. This paper aims to analyze the interaction between climate variability and mycotoxin occurrence, with a focus on the implications for food safety and the identification of future research directions in the context of climate change.
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