Fusarium

The genus Fusarium is one of the most important mycotoxigenic fungal genera in food and feed. Nearly all species are able to produce mycotoxins of which many are under international regulation. Well-known Fusarium mycotoxins are fumonisins, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, and additional trichothecenes. The rapid development in the molecular techniques has had an impact on the systematics of Fusarium, with many new species being discovered by phylogenetic analyses. This chapter presents a selective number of Fusarium species with a focus on their mycotoxin profile as well as recommended laboratory techniques for isolation and identification of these economically important molds.