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Mr. Chairman, 



I appreciate the opportunity to appear before your committee to 



discuss the Food and Drug Administration's recently issued 



advisories affecting grain that may be contaminated with 



mycotoxins. 



The term "mycotoxins" is applied to chemical toxicants produced 

 by mold. There are a number of mycotoxins that can occur in a 

 variety of foods and feedstuff s. Because mycotoxins may be toxic 

 to humans and animals, food or feed contaminated with a mycotoxin 

 may be adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic 

 Act (the Act) . The Act prohibits the sale or introduction of 

 adulterated food or feed into interstate commerce. 



The mycotoxins that I will discuss today are vomitoxin and 

 aflatoxin. Both are toxic, both may be affected by adverse 

 climatic conditions, and both are known to be contaminating grain 

 grown in the Midwestern part of the United States and possibly 

 elsewhere. 



Vomitoxin 



The first mycotoxin that I will discuss is deoxynivalenol (DON) , 

 which is commonly called vomitoxin. This toxin is produced by 

 several mold species associated with pink scab disease in grain. 

 The molds thrive in the cool, wet conditions that occurred in the 

 upper Midwest this year. This resulted in some wheat in that 



