1. Mycotoxins, an important class of natural toxins

1.1 Defining mycotoxins

Mould toxins or mycotoxins (from "mycos": fungus) are low-molecular-weight molecules produced by the secondary metabolism of micro-organisms when subjected to stressful environmental conditions (high or low temperatures, low humidity, limited substrates and nutrients, inter-species competitiveness, etc.). The importance of environmental factors in toxin production by micro-organisms (toxinogenesis) has led to mycotoxins being described as natural toxins. Environmental factors that can modulate toxinogenesis are mainly climatic factors such as temperature...