The EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) Scientific Panel on Contaminants has released an Opinion on zearalenone in animal feeds.

Zearalenone (ZEA or F2) is a mycotoxin produced by cereal species of Fusarium fungi (including F.graminearum). These fungi are common, occurring in cereals plants around the world and causing zearalenone contamination in harvested grains. This toxin is frequently found in maize and maize products. Reports suggest that grass, hay and straw can also contain zearalenone.

Zearalenone is oestrogenic, and has various effects in different animals. It is the Opinion of the EFSA Panel that more monitoring of feedingstuffs is required to improve exposure assessment and dose response studies to enable safe levels to be established.www.efsa.eu.int/science/contam/contam_opinions/527_en.html

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