Almost no mycotoxins (fungal toxins) were measured in Icelandic oats when measurements were made earlier in the year. These results are extremely important for food safety.
Í Bændablaðið from the 26th of August discusses the results of the project Mannakorn - Hafrar, which is funded by the Food Fund. The project deals with experiments with different varieties of oats in order to find the varieties that are best suited to Icelandic conditions. The project is managed by the staff of the Agricultural University, but the staff of Matís takes care of one part of the project that deals with quality assessment and quality measurements of oat samples.
Mycotoxins (fungal toxins) were among those examined. At Matís, samples were prepared and sent to Germany for measurements of 11 mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are contaminants that some molds can produce under certain environmental conditions, especially when it is humid and warm. Mycotoxins can harm human health and livestock, but some of these substances are among the most potent toxins available. The results of the measurements showed that 10 of these substances were not measurable, but one substance was measured but in a very small amount that was far below the maximum value in a regulation.
These results are of great importance for the food safety of cereals produced in Iceland and raise hopes that it will be possible to produce Icelandic cereals that will be virtually free of mycotoxins. Nevertheless, it is very important to measure mycotoxins in Icelandic grain regularly, not least due to the warming weather.