[VegChat] Toxic mould in wheat

[David Wardell]

Oh don't worry someone said, the Canadian government is looking after 
this for sure!

Maybe we should eat eat hot ceral only, would the heat from cooking it help?

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Toxic mould a threat to wheat exports, scientist says

Canadian Press

GUELPH, Ont. — Other countries could stop accepting Canadian produce 
unless we find a way to reduce the levels of a toxic mould found in 
wheat and oats, experts warn.

While Canada produces great wheat, we ought to follow the lead of 
European health officials, who are tightening regulations on the level 
of toxins in food, said University of Guelph chemistry professor Richard 
Manderville.

A news release issued by the university said many toxins are eliminated 
when wheat is processed into bread or cereal, but it's still not enough 
to meet international standards.

In January, 58,000 tonnes of Canadian durum wheat were confiscated in 
Italy because officials believed it had three times the allowable limit 
of ochratoxin under European standards.
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The naturally occurring mycotoxin produced when fungi attaches to grain 
crops has been found to cause cancer as well as immune system and 
reproductive problems in animals.

Scientists don't know how ochratoxin causes cancer in animals, but Prof. 
Manderville believes once it gets into the system, it can metabolize, 
attach to DNA and initiate a mutation that causes the disease.

So far, mycotoxins have only been identified as a probable human 
carcinogen, and it's not clear whether the human body will react to it 
the same way rabbits have, he said.

While a recent Health Canada study found ochratoxin is present in half 
of all Canadian breakfast cereals, government officials said the amount 
is very small.

“Mycotoxins are unavoidable in cereals, but the public should be aware 
of them,” said Health Canada spokesman Paul Duchesne.

“They're below a level where you would see a health impact on humans.”

Mr. Duchesne said Health Canada will look at imposing certain health 
standards for mycotoxin levels in foods, and that an information 
campaign to better inform consumers, agricultural producers and 
processors is possible.