Mycotoxin Blue Book, The

NACTA Journal, Mar 2007 by Woloshuk, Charles P

The Mycotoxin Blue Book by Duarte Diaz, Nottingham University Press, 2005, 349 pages, soft cover, $99.99

Among the many books on my bookshelf that cover the topic of mycotoxins, The Mycotoxin Blue Book is the most utilitarian. The book contains 15 chapters on a wide range of topics with none of them focused specifically on one mycotoxin group or mycotoxigenic fungus. Six chapters concentrate on the effects of mycotoxins on specific animal groups including horses, poultry, pets, fish, ruminants and swine. These chapters describe what is currently known about the effects that each mycotoxin group has on these target animals. There is an excellent chapter on the theory and application of sampling commodities for mycotoxins as well as one on analytical techniques. Two chapters focus on how different mycotoxins affect various metabolic pathways and immune systems with relevance to animal diseases. Other interesting chapters cover the topics of mycotoxins found in forages, mycotoxins in human food, and agents used in feeds to sequester mycotoxins. All the chapters have plenty of relevant and up-to-date references. Educators who will find this book useful are those teaching courses focused on health of specific animal groups and on animal physiology. The book is also an excellent resource on mycotoxins for extension specialists and educators.

The variety of topics covered in The Mycotoxin Blue Book should allow educators to choose specific chapters that fit specific courses. One of the strengths of the book is that the chapters were written to stand alone. Consequently, the same information is repeated with most chapters having a general introduction about the importance of mycotoxins, the fungi that produce them, and the conditions that lead to mycotoxin contamination. As I read through the book, I found it interesting how the different authors presented their own unique perspective on these introductory topics. Furthermore, the authors did not limit themselves when describing the effects of the various mycotoxins. The example that best comes to mind is in the chapter on mycotoxins in aquaculture, in which the author provides information about the specific effects of mycotoxins on swine and other animals. Although the information could be found in other chapters, it provides the reader with relevant information for the specific discussion on catfish or other aquatic animals. Educators may find the overlap of information to be a positive aspect if they use only one or a few chapters.

The book is not without obvious weaknesses. Little thought was given to the layout of the chapters in the book, which appear randomly. The first chapter in the book is about the theory and application of sampling commodities for mycotoxins, but analytical techniques are not covered until Chapter 7 and mold growth and mycotoxin production are not discussed until Chapter 9. No attention was paid to assure consistency in fungal taxonomic nomenclature among chapters. Most noticeable was the use of both Fusarium moniliforme and F. verticillioides for the fungus producing fumonisins. The only other criticism from this reviewer would be that the chapter on mold growth and mycotoxin production failed to adequately cover the topic of pre-harvest crop diseases, which are the primary source of mycotoxin contamination. A more appropriate title for this chapter is "Mycotoxin Production During Storage of Grains."

In summary, The Mycotoxin Blue Book covers in a single book nearly every important topic on mycotoxins. The book has a definite place in agricultural education.

Charles E Woloshuk

Department of Botany and Plant Pathology

Purdue University