Moulds are ubiquitous in the environment and are regularly found on and in food. Like many other species of fungi, many mould‑forming fungi produce invisible toxins known as mycotoxins, which can cause serious health problems. “Gastrointestinal symptoms are a relatively mild reaction of the body to mycotoxins,” explains biochemist Dr Philip Marx-Stölting in the BfR science podcast “Risiko” (“Risk”). “Some of these toxins can also trigger mutations in cells and ultimately contribute to the development of cancer.” Marx-Stölting works at the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) on a large-scale project that, as part of the European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC), also investigates these mould-derived toxins. For several relatively common mould species, the effects of their toxins on the human body have so far been only poorly studied.
