MYCOTOXIN TESTING

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Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of moulds, which already have toxic effects on vertebrates in the smallest quantities. Depending on specific substances and concentration, they are cancerogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic and immunosuppressive. To protect the health of consumers and animals worldwide, legislations for mycotoxins are in place. Mycotoxin analysis of food and feed is therefore necessary and often required by legislation.  

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that roughly 25 percent of the world's food production contains mycotoxins.  Throughout history, mycotoxins (as we know them now) have impaired the quality of agricultural products. Major commodities such as corn, wheat, rice, soy and peanuts can be contaminated with mycotoxins, depending on growth conditions and storage conditions.     

Out of the approximately 400 known species of mycotoxins, which belong to very different chemical compound classes, about 25 are counted as being relevant, due to their frequency in occurrence and their concentration.  

ANALYSIS OF MYCOTOXINS 

The analysis of mycotoxins presents some unique challenges: Mould fungus toxins are naturally occurring contaminants. Production prior to harvest is affected by weather conditions, as well as agricultural practices; production after harvest depends upon storage conditions. This puts certain challenges on the risk management of mycotoxins: Where, when, how often and how many do I test?   

Mycotoxins are spread very inhomogeneously throughout a product and maybe present at very low levels. Samples to be tested may be analytically simple matrices such as wheat, corn or maybe very complicated matrices like spices, coffee or complex mixtures of ingredients as in animal feed. It is very important to choose the right sampling and analytical method for the product to be tested.  

SCBS offers a variety of analyses, including testing for total aflatoxin, aflatoxin B1, Aflatoxin M1, ochratoxin A, and many others.  

Aflatoxins is one of the highly toxic and carcinogenic mycotoxin,  produced by certain fungi that are found on agricultural crops such as maize (corn), rice, peanuts, cottonseed, and tree nuts. The main fungi that produce aflatoxins are Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, which are abundant in warm and humid regions of the world.

AFLATOXINS - WHY A MAJOR CONCERN?

Aflatoxins are thermally very stable and can’t be detoxified by cooking or other food processing.  They are very heterogeneously distributed - particularly in a lot of food products with a large particle size.  For representative sampling of food products with large particle size - weight of the aggregate sample should be larger.

Avoiding the processes that lead to aflatoxin build-up and selecting/physically removing the most affected parts of the crop are the only way to keep the risk low.

To protect the population, health authorities of many countries have established maximum residue levels (MRLs), which of course must be monitored. For example in the European Union maximum levels for aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxin (aflatoxin B1 + G1 + B2 + G2) in a series of foods are defined by “Commission Regulation(EC) No 1881/2006 of 19 December 2006” and the update “Regulation No 165/2010 of theEU Commission”. 

EFFICIENCY OF AFLATOXIN ANALYSIS

Efficiency of results depend upon 40% representative sampling, 40% sample preparation and 20% analysis.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 401/2006 is the most stringent sampling regulations for aflatoxin sampling.