Wild Bird Food Survey 2003

Aflatoxins are naturally occurring toxins, produced by the moulds Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. These can occur on peanuts, maize products and occasionally on sunflower seeds that have been kept in warm, humid conditions.

For many years imported peanuts were tested by the Birdfoods Standards Association (BSA), a body set up by British peanut distributors, but the BSA disbanded after the European Union introduced legislation to limit the levels of aflatoxins in foods and required all peanuts to be tested for aflatoxins before being imported.

Currently there is no reliable data as to the susceptibility of wild or caged birds to aflatoxins but some experts have suggested that because of their small size and rapid metabolism it is likely that they are more susceptible than larger animals. The Animal Feed Unit of the Food Standards Agency is currently considering whether to recommend lowering the maximum permitted level of aflatoxin B1 in wild bird food from 0.02 mg/kg to either 0.01 mg/kg or 0.005 mg/kg.

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