Zearalenone is a potent estrogenic metabolite produced by some Fusarium and Gibberella species. Several Fusarium species produce toxic substances of considerable concern to livestock and poultry producers, namely deoxynivalenol, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) and zearalenone. Zearalenone is the primary toxin, causing infertility, abortion or other breeding problems, especially in swine. Zearalenone is heat-stable and is found worldwide in a number of cereal crops, such as maize, barley, oats, wheat, rice, and sorghum and also in bread. Zearalenone is a white crystalline solid. Zearalenone can permeate through the human skin. However, no significant hormonal effects are expected after dermal contact in normal agricultural or residential environments. In common with other mycotoxins, sampling food commodities for zearalenone must be carried out to obtain samples representative of the consignment under test.
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