Download Scoping risk from natural toxins in NZ crop plants

Crop plants contain many hundreds of chemicals, some of which have beneficial nutritional consequences for humans if consumed, while others may result in adverse health consequences for humans. Some plant chemicals may be both beneficial and harmful, depending on the dose consumed and the context of the consumption event. Chemicals naturally present in plants or produced by the plant in response to environmental factors that can elicit adverse health effects in humans or animals are often referred to as natural plant toxins.