Chapter 7: Animal Models for Masked Mycotoxin Studies

Masked mycotoxins, formed in plants after infection with toxigenic fungi, are frequent contaminants of food and feed. They pose a risk to human and animal health either by exerting biological activity on their own or by liberation of their respective parent toxin during digestion. For risk assessment, in vivo studies on the toxicological relevance of masked mycotoxins are crucial. However, due to the limited availability of purified compounds, only scattered reports on the effects of masked mycotoxins in animals are available so far. In the following chapter, in vivo studies elucidating the metabolism and toxicity of masked mycotoxins are presented. Based on these results, existing deficits of knowledge are addressed, thereby emphasizing the need for further research on the topic of masked mycotoxins.