Managing mycotoxin risks in the food industry: The global food security link

In order to bring about true food security, the world must achieve more than the availability of sufficient amounts of affordable and nutritious foodstuffs. It must also ensure that foods are safe. To do so requires going beyond in-factory quality management processes and to instead cover the entire supply chain from “farm to fork.” Food safety incidents involving raw materials can be traced back through all key points of the food production system, including growing, harvesting, storage, manufacture, and distribution. Of these incidents, mycotoxin contamination—of which aflatoxin is the predominant concern—represents the largest proportion of raw material–related food safety issues. This paper discusses the approach that Mars Incorporated, one of the world’s largest food manufacturers, takes to managing mycotoxin risks throughout its supply chains. It closes by recommending actions to better manage the global challenges that mycotoxins present.