A report by the United Nations Environment Program says drought and higher temperatures, forecast as part of climate change, can trigger a build-up in crops of chemical compounds that are toxic to animals and humans. Nitrates can accumulate to dangerous levels in grain during drought, while carcinogenic fungal aflatoixins are expected to become an increasing risk in higher latitudes as average temperatures rise.
“Climate change is already having a major impact on food safety and security,” says a UNEP release.
“Wheat, barley, maize and millet are among the crops most susceptible to nitrate accumulation, which is caused by prolonged drought,” says UNEP. “Acute nitrate poisoning in animals can lead to miscarriage, asphyxiation and death, ruining the lives of smallholder farmers and herders.”
Heavy rains that break prolonged dry spells can result in dangerous accumulation of hydrogen cyanide or prussic acid in crops such as flax, corn, sorghum, arrow grass, cherries and apples.
Aflatoxins, which can appear in field crops during hot and humid weather, are expected to become a food-safety issue in Europe, especially if global temperatures rise 2 degrees Celsius, as forecast, said the release.