文摘
As the term “masked mycotoxins-encompasses only conjugated mycotoxins generated by plants and no other possible forms of mycotoxins and their modifications, we hereby propose for all these forms a systematic definition consisting of four hierarchic levels. The highest level differentiates the free and unmodified forms of mycotoxins from those being matrix-associated and from those being modified in their chemical structure. The following lower levels further differentiate, in particular, “modified mycotoxins-into “biologically modified-and “chemically modified-with all variations of metabolites of the former and dividing the latter into “thermally formed-and “non-thermally formed-ones. To harmonize future scientific wording and subsequent legislation, we suggest that the term “modified mycotoxins-should be used in the future and the term “masked mycotoxins-to be kept for the fraction of biologically modified mycotoxins that were conjugated by plants.