The need, as indicated by stakeholders

Crop producers and processors need to minimize mycotoxin contamination of food, forage, and feed to reduce the deleterious effects of mycotoxins on consumers, livestock, and domestic animals. In turn, food and feed processors must manage their sources and processes to maintain product quality and protect the health of downstream customers, while livestock producers must monitor feed sources for their herds. The presence of mycotoxins in livestock feed has led to serious issues for the industry in recent years.  For example, ingestion of zearalenone-contaminated feed can result in uterine prolapse in sows, ending their breeding life. Other mycotoxins can lead to a variety of symptoms that detract from animal well-being and the productivity of operations.  Plant breeders have had success in producing plants with some resistance to mycotoxigenic fungi; however, this resistance does not always lead to reduced mycotoxin contamination. This confounding issue needs to be understood and resolved to improve plant breeding strategies and for seed producers to be able to generate high quality seed.  Additionally, cost-effective methods to predict, monitor, and minimize mycotoxin production in the field, and to detoxify mycotoxins and prevent further deterioration of contaminated feed, are needed by producers of grain and livestock. The increasingly strict tolerance limits for mycotoxins in overseas markets have increased the burden for grain buyers and food processors; currently, mycotoxin levels that are acceptable for some US products are unacceptable in European and Asian markets, resulting in non-tariff trade barriers. The global trend is for regulators to impose restrictions on an increasing number of mycotoxins. This potentially will require US grain and livestock producers to be able to assess and prevent presence of these mycotoxins well below domestic guidelines.  Finally, workers who are responsible for animal and human health need information about the toxicity, carcinogenicity, modes of action, and biomarkers of exposure and disease for all categories of mycotoxins. This information would be used to train veterinarians and health-care providers to identify exposure and treat related diseases, as well as to develop more accurate risk assessment.

The importance of the work, and consequences if it is not done

 Mycotoxins are a serious, chronic problem throughout the agricultural regions of the U.S. If research is not applied broadly to address this problem, serious negative consequences will result. First, mycotoxins pose important health risks. Accurate risk assessments are essential in order to maintain exposures by animal and human consumers within safe limits. We propose basic research to examine the toxicity of several important mycotoxins. Without this information, it is impossible to assess the risks associated with these mycotoxins. Additionally, the presence of mycotoxins in grain is an economic concern, especially in the context of global markets. Without an aggressive research program to prevent, treat, and contain outbreaks of mycotoxins in grain, U.S. grain producers suffer the consequences of reduced marketability of their products. Furthermore, the proposed research addresses biosecurity concerns. The natural occurrence of mycotoxins in grain is an important security concern for producers and end-users of the grain globally. Without a proactive research program to find innovative ways to monitor, prevent, and treat mycotoxin contamination of grains and forage, US agriculture will be unprepared to deal effectively with a mycotoxin outbreak, regardless of its origin. Finally, the production of mycotoxins by mycotoxigenic fungi in grains, forage, and other agricultural products represents a continuing problem in agriculture that reduces food safety and security.  Improving our understanding of factors that allow these fungi to colonize their hosts, and of how mycotoxin biosynthesis is regulated, will not only lead to novel treatment strategies, but will also advance our understanding of fungal pathogenesis in general.  Linkages with international efforts will leverage expertise and promote mycotoxin mitigation in developing countries.  In a changing world, food security is a component of political stability and US national security interests.

Technical Feasibility

The proposed research ranges from routine survey and analysis work to highly innovative strategies involving cutting-edge technology. Feasibility varies from routine to high-risk/high-reward, depending on the specific experiments proposed under each objective. 

The advantages for doing the work as a multistate effort and the technical feasibility of the research

The scientists involved in this multistate, multidisciplinary research proposal bring a broad range of expertise on mycotoxin issues related to their respective disciplines. These include plant science and plant pathology, seed science, mycology, toxicology, epidemiology, risk assessment, public health, modeling, and economics. Just as agriculture varies greatly from state to state (and in many instances, within a given state), the occurrence and severity of mycotoxin outbreaks vary widely across the US. A multistate effort ensures a thorough approach to investigate a complex and highly variable phenomenon that has significant impacts on both producers and consumers. Simultaneously, the differing experiences and expertise of the members are accessible to the whole, facilitating multistate collaborations that result in joint manuscripts and research proposals. Many such collaborations of long standing exist within the body of the research group. Due to the wide range of experience and expertise of the group, the proposed research is technically feasible.

 What the likely impacts will be from successfully completing the work

 The research and outreach proposed here will address the needs of stakeholders across the spectrum of food and feed safety and security, including the research community, the seed industry, crop production professionals, the livestock industry, the grain handling and processing industries, companion animal food producers, and finally, consumers. Outputs will include information on the action of mycotoxins in livestock and animal models. This information will be applicable to the risk assessment process. Genetically improved crop varieties and potential biological control agents will be generated to address management of mycotoxin formation in the field. Information will be generated to address the need for management practices that help prevent mycotoxin-related problems during grain and forage production, handling, storage, processing, and consumption. Finally, we will generate important basic knowledge about major groups of mycotoxigenic fungi, and the biochemical and molecular factors that regulate the biosynthesis of aflatoxins, endophyte-associated alkaloid toxins, and Fusarium-associated mycotoxins including deoxynivalenol, fumonisins, and zearalenone. This will reveal critical points in the biosynthesis pathways where targeted controls can be developed.  Students will be trained to contribute to the scientific workforce with expertise in mycotoxicology and a broad perspective through interaction with the multi-state group composed of scientists in multiple disciplines.