Analysis of Alternaria toxins
EU publishes draft of scientific opinion on the risk of Alternaria toxins in food and feed
July 2026 (update). The EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) has published a draft update to the risk assessment of Alternaria toxins, which was published in 2011.[3] In April 2022, the European Commission published a recommendation on monitoring the presence of Alternaria toxins in food. The Recommendation (EU) 2022/553[1] lists indicative levels for alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) and tenuazonic acid (TEA) in certain foods, based on the available data in the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) database.
Foods with indicative levels for Alternaria toxins
Member states, in close cooperation with the food business operators, should monitor the Alternaria toxins in foods listed in the table.
|
Food |
Indicative level* (EU) [µg/kg] |
||
| AOH | AME | TEA | |
| Processed tomato products | 10 | 5 | 500 |
| Paprika powder | - | - | 10000 |
| Sesame seeds | 30 | 30 | 100 |
| Sunflower seeds | 30 | 30 | 1000 |
| Sunflower oil | 10 | 10 | 100 |
| Tree nuts | - | - | 100 |
| Dried figs | - | - | 1000 |
| Cereal based food for infants and young children | 2 | 2 | 500 |
* The indicative levels are not food safety levels
Limits of quantification for monitoring
The following determination limits (LOQ, limits of quantification) apply to the monitoring:
|
AOH, AME: |
max. 2 µg/kg each for processed cereal-based food |
|
TEA: |
max. 20 µg/kg for all foods |
Our experts offer you the analysis of various Alternaria toxins in all relevant food matrices. The limits of determination based on the recommendation are complied with our analysis.
Occurrence and spreading of Alternaria toxins
Alternaria toxins belong to the group of mycotoxins and are naturally produced by certain fungi of the Alternaria genus (black fungi). Alternaria species are found throughout the environment, especially in the soil. The fungi are typical for the field fungal flora and are part of the natural microbiological growth on crops. High relative humidity in the summertime may lead to proliferation of the fungi, resulting in a higher risk of contamination with Alternaria toxins.
More than 50 species belong to the Alternaria genus, which may produce toxins and secondary metabolites in a varying scope. Only a small part of them occur in food. These include Alternariol, Alternariol monomethylether, Altenuene, Tenauzonic acid and Tentoxin. Because of their ubiquitous distribution, though, these toxins may be found in many foods. They can be present in cereals, vegetables (tomatoes, carrots, potatoes), fruits such as apples and grapes, and oilseeds such as sunflower seed, canola and olives.
In the EFSA statement of 2026, a total of 16,283 samples were analysed. Mulberries, processed tomato products and paprika powder showed particularly high levels of TEA; linseed, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds showed high levels of AOH; paprika powder and pomegranate juice showed high levels of AME; and nuts and oilseeds showed high levels of TEN. All the toxins mentioned were also found in foods for children, particularly in cereal- and fruit-based products. In animal feed, millet, sunflower seed products and millet were particularly contaminated.[3]
Toxicological evaluation of Alternaria toxins
Alternaria toxins produce numerous secondary metabolites, but only a few of them have been chemically characterised in more detail, are relevant in food and have been classified as toxicologically relevant for humans and animals. Depending on the substance, they can have cytotoxic, teratogenic, fetotoxic, mutagenic, antiviral and antibacterial effects. Moreover, Alternaria spores are amongst the most frequent in- and outdoor allergens and known to be the main cause for asthma in children.
Since relatively few toxicity data are available on Alternaria toxins, but the structures are known, EFSA established the so-called "threshold of toxicological concern (TCC)" for relevant Alternaria toxins in 2011 in the course of a risk assessment[2]. For Alternaria toxins, alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether the TTC value is 2.5 ng/kg b.w. per day, the TTC value for tenuazonic acid is 1.5 µg/kg b.w. per day.
In 2026, these were updated and the additional toxins Altertoxin I and II (ATX-I, ATX-II) and Stemphyloxin III (STTX-III) were also considered, although no reference concentration could be established. AOH and AME were classified as genotoxic with a TTC value of 2.5 ng/kg body weight per day. TEA was downgraded to ‘of concern only’, as it was determined with 98 per cent certainty that critical concentrations cannot be reached through dietary intake. For ATX-I, ATX-II and STTX-II, there is currently insufficient data to apply a TCC approach, but they are provisionally classified as genotoxic. ALT and TEN are considered non-genotoxic, and exposure levels were below the TCC value of 1.5 µg/kg body weight per day; consequently, the risk is assumed to be low. With regard to toxicity in animals, the available studies are insufficient; further data must be collected to exclude any threat to animal health.[3]
Analysis of Alternaria toxins
Our experts from the Competence Centre for mycotoxins and biotoxins within the global Eurofins laboratory network have long-term experience in the analysis of the full mycotoxin spectrum relevant for food. They offer a method for the quantitative determination of the Alternaria toxins AOH, AME, TEA, TEN and ALT. The applied LC-MS/MS method is suitable to clearly identify and quantify Alternaria toxins even in very low concentration ranges. It is applicable for juices (apple, pear, grape, tomato, carrot), tomato and carrot products, grapes and wine, as well as for cereals, cereal products and oilseeds. In addition, we offer a method for the analysis in oils.
The EFSA Draft 2026 recommends that suitable analytical standards and methods of analysis should be developed for the additional Alternaria toxins mentioned, namely ATX-II, STTX-III, ALP, glucosides and sulphates of AOH and AME.[3]
Get in touch
Would you like to find out more about our testing solutions, or do you need tailored analytical support? Contact us today to get in touch with our experts.
Relevant sources:
[1] Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/553 of 5 April 2022 on monitoring the presence of Alternaria toxins in food
[2] EFSA Scientific Opinion on the risks for animal and public health related to the presence of Alternaria toxins in feed and food (EFSA Journal 2011;9(10):2407)
[3] Update of the scientific opinion on the risk for animal and public health related to the presence of Alternariatoxins in feed and food
Written by:
Carina Kellner
Eurofins WEJ Contaminants GmbH