What are mycotoxins?
Some molds produce metabolic products called mycotoxins (myco=fungal, toxin=poison) that discourage bacteria or other fungi from growing in the same area. When these are present in abundance, they may cause health problems in animals or humans. Thus, mycotoxins are natural products from mold that cause a toxic response in vertebrates when sufficient amounts are eaten, inhaled or touched. Molds that are cable of generating toxins (called toxigenic molds) do not always produce toxins in every situation. Scientists believe that certain very specific conditions must be present for a toxigenic mold to actually produce toxins, such as the right combination of temperature, moisture, type of material the mold is growing on, and perhaps, competition from other microorganisms.
