ABSTRACT
MycotoxinisderivedfromtheGreekword"mykes,"meaningfungusandthe Latinword"toxicum"meaningpoison. 1Mycotoxinsaresecondaryfungalmetabolitesthatcausepathologicalorundesirablephysiologicalresponsesinhumans andotheranimals(Table12-1).Mycotoxicosesarediseasescausedbytheingestionoffoodsorfeedscontaminatedbymycotoxins.2Referencestomycotoxin poisoningappearintheBible,3andergotismhasbeenblamedfortraumatic incidentsofWesternhistory,fromtheFrenchRevolutiontotheSalemwitchtrials intheUnitedStates.4Fmoniliformeassociatedwithmaizeseedscausedhuman toxicosisin1881.Thisisalmost60yearsearlierthan1940,whenthefirstrecord oftoxicosisinanimalscausedbyaflatoxin-producingAspergilliwasthoughtto haveoccurred;thefirstrecorddoesnotappearuntil30yearslaterinhumans.5
