05/23/2026
A new peer-reviewed study analyzing commercial dog and cat foods found multiple mold toxins present across all diets, with higher levels in foods containing more cereal ingredients like corn🌽, wheat🌾, barley, oats, and rice🍚. Researchers detected 63 different compounds⚠️, with common toxins such as DON, zearalenone, and fumonisins often appearing together at low levels.
While all amounts were below safety limits, the study highlights uncertainty around long-term and combined exposure. Pets are exposed to multiple toxins at once, and the effects of these mixtures over time are still largely unknown. Broader research suggests some mycotoxins may act additively or synergistically, potentially amplifying their impact, and have been linked to immune and gut changes in animal models.
Contaminated corn🌽, in particular, has been associated with some of the largest pet food recalls and highest reported pet death events in modern history. Notably, the Midwestern Pet Foods SPORTMiX recall was linked to over 130 dog deaths and 220 illnesses, while a Sunshine Mills recall affected multiple brands. Corn’s susceptibility to heat, humidity, and poor storage makes it a common source of aflatoxin contamination.
