Recently, there has been worrying news about the alarm about excessive mycotoxins in pistachios. It has been reported that some batches of pistachios contain mycotoxins that exceed the safe standard line, which undoubtedly poses a potential threat to consumers' health. This incident has once again aroused deep public concern about food safety issues, and has also sounded the alarm for relevant companies, reminding them that they need to be more cautious in the food production process, check the quality and ensure the safety of consumers.
Imagine those delicious pistachios, which are supposed to bring us joy and satisfaction, but never thought to be a source of threat to health. It's reminiscent of the small germs that can cause great disasters like cunning foxes, hiding in seemingly harmless fruits, waiting for an opportunity to act, and if eaten by mistake, it can have serious consequences.
Food safety is like a tiger, threatening our lives at all times. It is not only about the health of every consumer, but also about the stability and harmony of the whole society. This incident of pistachio mycotoxin exceeding the standard shows us the urgency and necessity of food safety issues.
01. What is mycotoxin?
MycotoxinsIt is a secondary toxic metabolite produced by fungi during growth and reproduction, which is very harmful to the health of humans and animals.
Mycotoxin contamination commonly found in nuts
There are 16 kinds of common mycotoxins in nuts, including aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin B2, aflatoxin G1, aflatoxin G2, T-2 toxin, zearalenone, Fusarium A, Fusarium A1, Fusarium B, Fusarium B1, Beauveria bassianiana, Rattan toxin, Alternadorol, Alternaria methyl ether, ochratoxin A and ochratoxin B.
Interpretation of mycotoxins and contaminants standards of the National Food Safety Standard for Nuts and Seeds
GB 2761-2017 National Food Safety Standard Limits of mycotoxins in foods stipulates the limits of mycotoxins in nuts and seeds, which are summarized in the table below.
As a popular food, the food safety of nuts has always been a concern. The mycotoxin excesses have once again reminded us that even seemingly healthy foods can be a safety hazard.
02. Reasons for excessive mycotoxins
There are several reasons why mycotoxins in nuts are exceeded, and some of the main causes include the following:
1.Contamination during harvesting and storage: Nuts are susceptible to fungal infestation if they are affected by factors such as moisture and mildew during harvesting and storage. These fungi can grow on the surface of nuts and produce toxins that can lead to excessive levels of nut toxins.
2.Contamination during processing: In the process of nut processing, if the processing equipment and packaging materials are polluted, or the humidity of the processing environment is high, it is easy to cause the nuts to be infected by fungi, and then produce excessive toxins.
3.Contamination during transportation and sales: During transportation and sales, if nuts are affected by environmental factors such as humidity and high temperatures, it is also easy to lead to fungal growth and toxin production.
To reduce the risk of mycotoxins exceeding the limit in nuts, the following measures can be taken:
1.Strengthen harvest and storage management: Ensure nuts are kept dry, ventilated, and protected from moisture and mildew during harvest and storage.
2.Strengthen the management of the processing process: ensure that the processing equipment and packaging materials are clean and hygienic and thoroughly disinfected, ensure that the humidity of the processing environment is appropriate, and avoid fungal growth.
3.Strengthen the management of the transportation and sales process: ensure that the nuts are kept dry and ventilated during transportation and sales, and avoid the effects of factors such as humidity and high temperatures.
In conclusion, in order to ensure the quality and safety of nuts, it is necessary to strengthen management and control from multiple links such as harvesting, processing, transportation and sales to reduce the risk of mycotoxin exceedance.