Fungi - The Unwanted Guests of Foods

Food Mycology is the branch of mycology that deals with the study of fungi in food. In food mycology, we mainly study Mushrooms, Yeasts and Molds. Deterioration of foods and agricultural products is a worldwide problem and the major causes of this problem are Yeasts and Molds. Mold growth in foods and feeds, leads to the production of mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are toxic and carcinogenic chemicals, and their consumption poses serious health risks in humans and animals. Foods that have mold growth are unfit to eat. It often occurs that, a food showing no signs of spoilage is contaminated with lethal mycotoxins. Various treatments and techniques are used by food technologists to identify and analyze the mycotoxin production in the foods and feeds.