Foreword

Abstract

First and foremost, let me wish you a healthy and successful 2024! May you be able to convince funding organisations about the importance of research on food safety, in particular on mycotoxins.Last year brought the mycotoxin community both sadness and joy. In April, Prof. Naresh Magan passed on. Naresh served on the board of the World Mycotoxin Journal and as section editor for many years. Hallsworth et al. (2023) started Naresh ś obituary with the extremely fitting sentence 'We are deeply saddened to share the news of Professor Naresh Magan's passing, yet this is counterbalanced for many in the scientific community with the scientific stimulation, joviality, and human warmth of having known him' . While Naresh is irreplaceable, his influence on a generation of mycotoxin scientists will still be felt for a long time to come. To celebrate his love for life in general and sports in particular, the first Naresh Magan Memorial Table Tennis Tournament was held during the Gordon Research Conference on Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins in June 2023. The fact that half of all conference participants played in the tournament shows the tremendous respect that many of us feel for Naresh.Speaking about conferences, the World Mycotoxin Journal best poster award at the WMFmeets Belgium was handed to Maria Varveri for the poster on 'Biological control of aflatoxins and fumonisins using Greek endemic non-aflatoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus in maize' . The World Mycotoxin Journal best presentation award for the 16th conference by the Mycotoxicology Society of Nigeria was given to Taiwo Adesina for the talk on 'Probiotics detoxify aflatoxins differentially' . Congratulations for your fine contributions.Most importantly, I want to congratulate our section editor Marthe de Boevre for the birth of her daughter and wish you and your family much health and joy.