Mycotoxins in dry-cured meats: A review

Dry-cured meats products are consumed in various regions of the world and, consumers are increasingly demanding better quality and safety of these products. Some fungal species can produce mycotoxins in drycured meats, such as aflatoxins and ochratoxins, which, when ingested, can produce carcinogenic and mutagenic effects in humans. Contamination of these products can occur at different points of the production chain, from the field (animal contaminated with feed) to the production or storage of the final product. Although the presence of mycotoxins in drycured meats has been reported in several regions of the world, the presence of these contaminants are not legislated in most countries. Therefore, it is important to put in place methods to identify and reduce the contamination of dry-cured meats, minimizing the consumption and deleterious effects caused by mycotoxins. This review aimed to describe mycotoxin-producing fungi, mycotoxins, the relationship between human food and animal feed; legislation; incidence, identification and control methods for mycotoxins in dry cured meats intended for human consumption.