3. Conclusions

The risk of mycotoxins is of natural origin, since man has no control over their occurrence, which is linked in particular to climatic conditions. As these conditions change over the course of the 21st century, it will be essential to review and monitor risk assessments on a regular basis.

The groups of mycotoxins currently considered important from an agri-food and health point of view in relation to the "cereals" matrix are aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, trichothecenes and, in particular, deoxynivalenol, fumonisins and zearalenone. Other mycotoxins, less studied in terms of their toxic effects but likely to have health effects on humans and/or animals, were also taken into account, such as ergot alkaloids.

Hazard characterization is based on mostly incomplete toxicological data. Even if some mycotoxins have been better studied than others in...