Food Safety Management and Mycotoxins Nexus: A Systematic Review of Mycotoxins Toxicity, Detoxification, Nutritional Impacts, and Economic Importance

Abstract

ABSTRACT This systematic review synthesizes evidence published from 2019 to 2026 on mycotoxin occurrence in food and feed, toxicological effects, nutritional consequences, economic implications, detection, and detoxification/mitigation strategies. The review followed PRISMA 2020 principles and included 141 publications after screening. Because the evidence was highly heterogeneous in toxin, food matrix, study design, exposure level, endpoint, and intervention conditions, findings were synthesized narratively and critically rather than pooled quantitatively. Across the included literature, mycotoxin contamination was repeatedly reported in cereals and other commodities, with co‐occurrence frequently observed. Health effects included hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, immunotoxicity, gastrointestinal effects, reproductive effects, and carcinogenicity for specific toxins and exposure contexts. Nutritional consequences were reported mainly in experimental and observational settings and included impaired growth, altered nutrient utilization, and reduced food quality. Detoxification approaches included physical, chemical, biological, and combined interventions, but reported efficiencies were strongly context‐dependent and should not be interpreted as directly comparable across studies. The review develops a food‐safety‐management nexus linking prevention, monitoring, critical control points, traceability, risk communication, and detoxification with health, nutritional, and economic outcomes. The evidence supports integrated hazard‐based management and stronger validation of interventions under realistic processing and industrial conditions.