Sampling feed for mycotoxins: acquiring knowledge from food (original) (raw)
Related papers
The role of sampling in mycotoxin contamination: An holistic view
Food Additives & Contaminants, 2005
The need of obtaining a representative sample deserves particular consideration since a wrong sampling plan can greatly affect the reliability of the measured levels of mycotoxins. This can even result in legal disputes and barriers to trade. Reported here is a holistic view for an ideal sampling plan, which is based on two consecutive steps: 1) to establish "why, where and when" sampling has to be performed by assessing the purpose, the appropriate time and the site for collecting the samples; 2) to establish "how" to draw samples by assessing practical ad hoc guidelines, considering that, for bulk goods in particular, mycotoxins are not at all homogeneously distributed in a lot. So far, step 1 is not yet covered by specific guidelines while for step 2, European regulations establish the procedures for the sampling of bulk and retail products potentially contaminated by mycotoxins.
Validation of analytical methods for determining mycotoxins in foodstuffs
TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 2002
The European Union (EU) has established demanding regulatory limits for controlling aflatoxins B 1 , B 2 , G 1 and G 2 , in cereals, nuts, nut products and dried fruit, aflatoxin M 1 in milk, and ochratoxin A in cereals. These limits are likely to be extended in the future to additional commodities and other mycotoxins. For enforcement purposes and in particular for resolving any disputes between parties, it is essential that validated methods are available, with performance characteristics that meet certain minimum criteria. As such methods were not available and had not previously been validated either for matrices of interest in Europe or at the low European limits compared to the USA, the EU funded a method-validation project to fulfil this requirement. Immunoaffinity column clean-up methods with HPLC determination were established for aflatoxins B 1 , B 2 , G 1 and G 2 in peanut butter, pistachios, fig paste and paprika, aflatoxin B 1 in baby food, aflatoxin M 1 in liquid milk, and ochratoxin A in roasted coffee and baby food. For patulin in apple juice and apple puree, solvent extraction and solid-phase clean-up HPLC methods were developed. To undertake collaborative studies, particular care was taken in preparation of naturally-contaminated test materials containing the toxins at levels close to regulatory limits and in demonstrating the homogeneity of batches of material. To ensure that participants in the validation exercise could follow the procedures to be tested, videos of the methods were prepared showing, in particular, any critical steps. Prior to undertaking the method validation, participants were invited to collaborative study workshops to ensure that they fully understood the methods and their role in the study. This care in planning and executing the collaborative studies led to impressive performance characteristics and adoption of six procedures by AOAC International as First Action Methods and seven methods by CEN as European standards. The valuable lessons learned in undertaking these validation exercises are now being put to further use in studies aimed at validating methods for mycotoxins in foodstuffs, which are appropriate for developing countries based on TLC as the end determination but use more modern sample cleanup techniques. #
Toxins, 2010
Mycotoxins are toxic compounds, produced by the secondary metabolism of toxigenic moulds in the Aspergillus, Alternaria, Claviceps, Fusarium, Penicillium and Stachybotrys genera occurring in food and feed commodities both pre- and post-harvest. Adverse human health effects from the consumption of mycotoxins have occurred for many centuries. When ingested, mycotoxins may cause a mycotoxicosis which can result in an acute or chronic disease episode. Chronic conditions have a much greater impact, numerically, on human health in general, and induce diverse and powerful toxic effects in test systems: some are carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, estrogenic, hemorrhagic, immunotoxic, nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, dermotoxic and neurotoxic. Although mycotoxin contamination of agricultural products still occurs in the developed world, the application of modern agricultural practices and the presence of a legislatively regulated food processing and marketing system have greatly reduced mycotoxi...
Principles of risk assessment of mycotoxins in food and feed
2013
MYCOTOXINS: A REVIEW OF REGULATORY ASPECTS There are several international organizations with scientific boards dealing with the problem of food and feed contaminants. Apart the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, Lyon, France) which is focused on carcinogenicity of natural and manmade compounds, there is also a more recently founded (1980) International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS), a joint venture of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and WHO. IPCS organizes scientific meetings of experts called Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committees on Food Additives (JECFA) which is particularly concerned about the safety of food additives, residues of veterinary drugs, naturally occurring toxicants and contaminants of food. JECFA serves as scientific advisory body to FAO, WHO, their Member States and the Codex Alimentarius Comission. In order to protect European consumers from the exposure of all kinds of possible lesions and diseases of food origin the European Commission (EC) founded the independent scientific advisory board called European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) 1. In 2003, EFSA organized Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM Panel) with the mandate to deliver scientific opinions on-contaminants in food and feed, associated areas and undesirable substances such as natural toxicants, mycotoxins and residues of non-authorized substances not covered by another Panel‖. CONTAM Panel receives the requests from the EC (95 %), Member States (1 %) and the European Parliament (1 %). Since 2003 CONTAM Panel produced 107 opinions (55 on contaminants in food, 43 in feed and 9 combined assessments in food and feed), 15 out of them on mycotoxins. Evaluation of risk assessment of mycotoxins is specific because of their natural origin and it relies on public scientific information. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by many species of filamentous fungi. Around 300 different mycotoxins have been described that are produced by about 200 different fungal species. However, there are only 20 mycotoxins that are regularly found in food and feedstuffs at concentrations likely to pose a health hazard for animals and people consuming these materials-socalled-primary exposure‖. The commonly known and health relevant mycotoxins can be categorized into Aspergillus mycotoxins (e.g. aflatoxins, ochratoxins), Fusarium mycotoxins (e.g. fumonisins, trichothecenes, zearalenone, nivalenol, deoxynivalenol, T-2 toxin, enniatins and beauvericin) and Penicillium mycotoxins (e.g. ochratoxin A, citrinin). These mycotoxins often co-occurred naturally in cereals since one kind of crop can be infected by different toxigenic molds and also each mold can produce several kinds of mycotoxins simultaneously. The occurrence of these compounds depends on factors like strain of fungus, species, plant species, and environmental and ecological conditions such as humidity, temperature and presence of pests. This toxicity can range from the production of several hormonal disorders or immunosuppression to the induction of carcinogenic, teratogenic or mutagenic activities. Therefore, the actions of these co-occurring mycotoxins on human or animal can be antagonistic, additive or synergistic.
Towards harmonized approaches for mycotoxin analyses: an assessment
Quality Assurance and Safety of Crops & Foods, 2009
Mycotoxins (the poisonous metabolites of certain filamentous fungi) are potential contaminants of staple food commodities and, if uncontrolled, may present a significant public health hazard. In many jurisdictions, questions relating to mycotoxin contamination are addressed at both generic and specific levels by food-safety legislation. Key to the successful management of the mycotoxin question, both in terms of verifying food-safety measures by the agri-food businesses and ensuring compliance with statutory limits by enforcement agencies, is the use of reliable sampling and analytical methodology. Evidence from European Union Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed data suggest that harmonization of methodologies used to determine the mycotoxin content of foods would contribute to improved compliance at both regulatory and commercial levels.