Climate change amplifies global mycotoxin exposure: Emerging risks and sustainable solutions

Climate change intensifies mycotoxin contamination through rising temperatures, elevated CO₂, and altered precipitation. Global surveys reveal a high and widespread prevalence of major mycotoxins in staple cereals, with low-income countries bearing the greatest burden. This escalating contamination poses a growing threat to global food security, compromising both food availability and safety. To mitigate these risks, we propose four actions: establish a predictive global surveillance system integrating climate-crop-fungal models, deploy field-ready biosensors, scale up climate-resilient agriculture and resistant varieties, and implement a multi-stakeholder governance protocol focused on developing regions. These measures offer feasible solutions to protect global food security in a changing climate.