Abstract
Among crops, corn ranks third in the world in terms of cultivated area. In 2002, it produced 600 million tons and yielded 4,296 kilograms per hectare, surpassing rice and wheat. The most important corn exporting countries in the world are the United States, Argentina, France, and China, which together account for about 91.5% of the total global export of this product. Japan, South Korea, Mexico, and China are among the most important corn grain importers. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has stated that worldwide, approximately 25% of agricultural products and raw materials are contaminated with fungi, causing contamination of animal and poultry feed. Poor harvesting practices, improper drying, crushing, packaging, storage, and transportation conditions contribute to the growth of fungi, increasing the growth and risk of mycotoxin production. Mycotoxins are the smallest chemical toxins produced as secondary metabolites of several fungal species that are easily incorporated into agricultural products and cause contamination in the field or after harvest. Due to the fact that mycotoxins are toxic at very low concentrations, they require sensitive and reliable methods for detection. Due to the diverse structures of these compounds, it is not possible to use a standard method to detect all mycotoxins and each one requires different methods. The methods used should be reproducible and their analysis should be simple. Today, worldwide, cost-effectiveness methods can suggest such solutions using political briefs. Therefore, for evidence-based policy choices, considering the existing challenges and opportunities, it seems necessary to use intervention techniques and recommendations to prevent fungal contamination in mass-produced products and to improve the level of farmers' literacy.