Why cereals?
Cereals are foundational to European and global food security.
The EU produces approximately 300 million tonnes annually and is traditionally a net exporter.
Vulnerability to biological and radiological contamination
Being a staple crop, cereals are vulnerable to a variety of biological hazards, including plant diseases and pests that can spread easily through fields, storage, and transportation. Among them are fungi that have the potential to produce mycotoxins. Climate change, which raises the possibility of pest outbreaks and mycotoxin contamination, is expected to make these biological dangers worse.
Furthermore, the wide geographic spread of grain farming increases the risk of radiological contamination, especially in the case of unintentional or deliberate releases of radioactive materials.
Economic and food security importance
Cereal grains like wheat, rice, and maize – as being staple food commodities – form the backbone of global food security, with disruptions potentially causing widespread economic damage and food insecurity. The scale and importance of cereals make them a high-priority target for food terrorism or food sabotage
Position in the supply chain
As cereals are at the beginning of many food supply chains, contamination here can have widespread downstream impacts, affecting not only direct consumption but also processed foods, animal feed, and other related industries.