Opinion of the Scientific Panel on contaminants in the food chain [CONTAM]related to Zearalenone as undesirable substance in animal feed.

No abstract available

Zearalenone is a mycotoxin produced by several field fungi, including Fusarium graminaerum and Fusarium culmorum. The toxin is common in maize and maize products, but can be found in soybeans and various cereals and grains, and their by-products as well. Moreover, zearalenone seems to occur on grass, hay and straw resulting in additional exposure of animals from roughage and bedding. Co-occurrence with other Fusarium toxins, particularly deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, and fumonisins is regularly observed. In domestic animals, like in all mammalian species, zearalenone interacts with oestrogen receptors, resulting in an apparent hyperoestrogenism, including reduced fertility. Female pigs of all age groups are considered to be the most sensitive animal species, but the hormonal effects vary in intensity according to age and reproductive cycle. Ruminants and poultry show a lower responsiveness to zearalenone. However, monitoring of feedingstuffs are needed to improve exposure assessment and dose-response studies are essential to establish safe levels of exposure for zearalenone in feed materials for all individual farm animal species, including minor species such as rabbits and small ruminants. Due to the rapid biotransformation and excretion of zearalenone in animals, secondary human exposure resulting from residues in meat, milk and eggs is expected to be low, contributing only marginally to the daily intake.

Zearalenone, animal feeds, toxicity, estrogenic effects, tissue accumulation