Cargill issued 2021 World Mycotoxin Report. Survey includes key global trends, ingredient contamination rates and regional mycotoxin prevalence data.

The report covers the contamination or prevalence rate (% positive analyses contaminated with at least one mycotoxin), the level of contamination (mycotoxin concentration level), and the species sensitivity when exposed to a given mycotoxin.

KEY GLOBAL TRENDS

With these inputs in mind, the company saw noteworthy data trends in 2021, including:

1. A high number of positive analyses above detection limits. In 2021, 72% of analyses were contaminated with at least one mycotoxin. Contamination is more likely than not across all ingredients.

2. The “Big Four.” The 2021 data shows that Vomitoxin, Fumonisin, Zearalenone and Aflatoxin are the most prevalent mycotoxins worldwide.

3. Positive analyses are not always concerning. For example, when looking at 2021 contaminated analyses, while 72% are positive for mycotoxin contamination, just 35% had contamination levels above the company’s performance risk thresholds.

Six years ago, the company’s animal Nutrition unit created a global and web-based mycotoxins tool powered by hundreds of thousands of mycotoxins analyses. Today, the company mycotoxin contamination database with more than 300,000+ mycotoxin analyses captured annually across more than 150 global feed plants, on-farm samplings and storage locations. Data collected from the past four years indicates increasing mycotoxin prevalence.

For farmers around the world, proactive risk management is key to protecting animal health and winning the battle against mycotoxins, a toxic substance produced by fungi that can grow on grains. They need comprehensive data on mycotoxin contaminates in order to make decisions regarding the inclusion of additives in feed to mitigate their presence.