In July 2026, the European Commission adopted Commission Recommendation (EU) 2026/1801, introducing updated guidance values for the major mycotoxins in animal feed: deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisins, ochratoxin A (OTA), T-2 and HT-2 toxins, and zearalenone (ZEN). The recommendation reflects more than a decade of new occurrence data and scientific risk assessments from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), replacing previous recommendations from 2006 and 2013.
The new recommendation provides stricter guidance levels for many mycotoxins. In some species and categories, it defines guidance levels for certain mycotoxins for the first time.
Regulations often play catch-up with science
Mycotoxins continue to pose a significant risk to animal health and, indirectly, to food safety through their potential transfer into products of animal origin. Since the original guidance values were established, EFSA has published a series of updated scientific opinions identifying adverse effects at lower exposure levels in several animal species. In particular, newer assessments led to lower health-based reference points for poultry, horses, ruminants and other sensitive species. The Commission therefore concluded that the existing guidance values no longer fully reflect current scientific knowledge and should be revised to ensure a high level of animal health protection.
So, what exactly has changed?
Guidance levels for some mycotoxins were lowered, indicating that they are more toxic than previously thought.
Levels for DON in feed materials were reduced from 8 to 4 ppm in cereals and from 12 to 8 ppm in maize. In complete feed for pigs, the previous level of 0.9 ppm was reduced to 0.7 ppm. In aquaculture, an especially large adjustment was made, with the guidance level decreasing from 5 to 0.5 ppm in complete feed: a 10-fold reduction.
In recent years, considerable new data have become available on the effects of fumonisins, especially in poultry. As a result, fumonisin levels were reduced from the very high level of 60 ppm for maize and maize products to 40 ppm in maize products and 20 ppm in maize grain. For complete feed, the biggest change was seen in poultry, with a 10-fold decrease from 20 to only 2 ppm. This change was introduced because of the negative effects that fumonisins exert on the intestinal health of chickens. The guidance level was also changed for pigs, decreasing from 5 to 1 ppm. Ruminants were traditionally considered resistant to fumonisins, but the levels were also made stricter for calves, lambs and kids (10 instead of 20 ppm) and adult ruminants (30 instead of 50 ppm). Levels for complete feed in aquaculture were reduced from 10 to 5 ppm.
Guidance levels for OTA were reduced in many feed materials from 0.25 to 0.05 ppm. In complete feed, levels decreased from 0.1 to 0.03 ppm in poultry and from 0.05 to 0.01 ppm in pigs, while levels were newly defined for ruminants (0.02 ppm) and aquaculture (0.05 ppm).
Instead of general levels for complete feed (0.25 ppm), guidance levels for T-2 and HT-2 toxins have become more granular. The levels are given for complete feed as 0.2 ppm in pigs, 0.5 ppm for laying hens and 0.1 ppm for other poultry, 0.05 ppm for ovines and 0.2 ppm for other ruminants, and finally 0.5 ppm in aquaculture.
ZEN guidance levels decreased from 2 to 1 ppm in cereals and from 3 to 2 ppm in maize products. New guidance levels were provided for complete feed for poultry (2 ppm), cattle for fattening (1 ppm), and aquaculture (0.3 ppm).
Stronger emphasis on monitoring
The recommendation calls on Member States and feed business operators to strengthen monitoring programs for these key mycotoxins. Importantly, laboratories are encouraged to analyze samples simultaneously for multiple mycotoxins, enabling a better understanding of co-occurrence, which is increasingly recognized as a major risk in practical feed production.
The new recommendation places significant responsibility on feed manufacturers and farmers. The updated guidance values should be incorporated into HACCP systems and used to establish critical limits for controlling mycotoxin risks. When guidance values are exceeded, operators are expected to implement precautionary measures, conduct risk assessments where necessary, and ensure that feed placed on the market remains safe and fit for purpose.
The Commission also highlights the need for greater transparency along the supply chain. Suppliers of feed materials are encouraged to provide sufficient information on mycotoxin contamination to compound feed manufacturers, helping them formulate feeds that remain safe for the most sensitive animal species.
Final thoughts
The new guidance values will apply from July 1, 2027, while specific values for maize, sorghum, soybean, sunflower, and their products will become relevant from October 1, 2027. From that date, the previous recommendations from 2006 and 2013 will be replaced. Recommendation (EU) 2026/1801 modernizes mycotoxin guidance values based on the latest EFSA science, introduces a stronger focus on multi-mycotoxin monitoring, and reinforces the responsibility of feed operators to manage contamination risks proactively.
Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reco/2026/1801/oj
