Chapter 2 - Mycotoxin Issues in Pet Food

Abstract

Recent outbreaks associated with mycotoxin-contaminated pet foods, in conjunction with newly released Preventive Control for Animal Food rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act, have caused many pet food manufacturers to revisit existing mycotoxin mitigation programs. Mycotoxins are ubiquitous contaminants in grains, which are primary ingredients in many pet foods. These chemical compounds are very stable and tend to survive most processing steps in the pet food production line, including heat treatment. Therefore, once formed on pet food ingredients, mycotoxins present a significant foodborne hazard to pets. Mycotoxicosis in pet animals may result from direct ingestion of contaminated pet food ingredients. Prevention and mitigation of mycotoxins on pet food ingredients is the most effective strategy to prevent their presence in final food products and to avoid negative health effects and potential recall and legal costs. This chapter introduces major mycotoxins relevant to pet food, summarizes recent outbreaks and recalls associated with mycotoxin-contaminated pet food, outlines challenges associated with quantitative measurements of toxin levels in pet food, and reports present day measures to prevent mycotoxin contamination. The information presented in this review is expected to assist pet food processing engineers, quality control and safety managers, and educators and researchers, especially those dealing with grains as ingredients in pet food.