Oat breakfast cereals may contain a common mold-related toxin

Scientists warn that oats and its products might need closer monitoring for potential mold contamination. They report in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that some oat-based breakfast cereals in the U.S. contain a mold-related toxin called ochratoxin A (OTA) that's been linked to kidney cancer in animal studies. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the World Health Organization, classifies it as a possible human carcinogen. Although the U.S. doesn't currently regulate the contaminant, the European Union has set maximum limits for OTA in food.