Successful screening technology for the effective control of mycotoxins

by Lisa Hughes, Randox Food 10 Residue biochip Diagnostics, 55 Diamond Road, Crumlin, Co. Antrim, BT29 4QY, UK. Paxiline, Fumonisins, Ochratoxin A, Aflatoxin G1/G2, Aflatoxin B1/B2, Diacetoxyscirpenol, Deoxynivalenol (DON), T2 toxin, Zearalenone, alkaloids. ood consumers globally are becoming increasingly discerning in selecting 7 Residue biochip produce to fill their fridges, cupboards F Fumonisins, Ochratoxin A, Aflatoxin G1/G2, Aflatoxin B1/B2, Deoxynivalenol (DON), and, indeed, stomachs. Factors of choice are moving beyond taste, appearance and T2 toxin, Zearalenone nutritional content. Public awareness of 3 Residue biochip food safety is highly sensitised and increasingly proliferated through online Ochratoxin A, Aflatoxin G1/G2, Aflatoxin B1/B2 news and social media headlines and few are immune. Table 1. BAT arrays allow fast, comprehensive and sensitive screening of all of the Familiarity in consumers of the issue of world’s most prevalent mycotoxins in arrays of 10, 7 or 3 assays. antibiotic resistance linked to drug residues in food is growing, and there is an Consumption of mycotoxins can result in screening is varied. There are a number of expectation for food producers to deal with significant adverse health effects in humans special import conditions currently in place it appropriately. The issues of mycotoxins in and animals and as a result, international for some foods from certain third world feed and feed components makes fewer food standards recommend that food countries (Africa in particular) where the headlines but is no less a problem. producers carry out screening for risk from aflatoxin contamination is The occurrence of contamination in mycotoxins. To protect consumers, a increased, which further improves various grain crops is of growing concern as tolerable daily intake (TDI) has been consumer protection. it has major implications for food and feed established which estimates the quantity of safety, food security and international trade. mycotoxin which someone can be exposed Worldwide, it is estimated that to daily over a lifetime without it posing a Challenge for the food sector mycotoxins are responsible for losses of up significant risk to health. to 5-10% of crop production, according to a There are a range of mycotoxins which are Compliance with internationally acceptable European Commission report. of most concern from a food safety limits for mycotoxins (TDI) can be Contaminations are due to a series of perspective. These include the aflatoxins challenging for the food industry, requiring events including weather conditions, (B1, B2, G1, G2 and M1), Ochratoxin A and good plant protection, adequate storage possible climate change effects, land use, toxins produced by Fusarium moulds, and good manufacturing practices in order crop management as well as harvest, including fumonisins (B1, B2 and B3), to keep levels below the limits. storage and processing techniques. Greater trichothecenes (principally nivalenol, Some crops are now being genetically awareness of the issue, together with deoxynivalenol, T-2 and HT-2 toxin) and engineered to detoxify mycotoxins in the improved screening is key to effectively zearalenone. field. Genetically engineered micro- controlling the incidence of mycotoxins in Aflatoxins, including aflatoxin B1 are organisms producing purified enzymes can feed and food chains. considered the most toxic and can damage detoxify mycotoxins during storage and DNA and cause cancer in animal species. processing of raw materials in food There is also evidence that they can cause production. Why screen for mycotoxins? liver cancer in humans. Other mycotoxins Advocates of such enzymatic have a range of other health effects including detoxification of mycotoxins argue that this So what are mycotoxins and why should kidney damage, gastrointestinal approach uses generic technology to make food producers screen for them? disturbances, reproductive disorders or food healthier. However, there is a Mycotoxins are a group of naturally suppression of the immune system. considerable lobby against genetic occurring metabolites produced by certain In order to protect consumer safety, rules engineering of food therefore this may not moulds. They occur in a variety of different and strict legislative limits for aflatoxins, be an acceptable route for some food crops that are colonised with filamentous Ochratoxin A and Fusarium toxins in certain producers to take. fungi and in food products contaminated foodstuffs are set out in European How then can food producers tackle the during processing and storage. They can Commission legislation. The legislation issue of mycotoxins to ensure international occur on a range of food products including applies to the specified foods whether they food safety standards are being met? cereals and grains, nuts, spices, dried fruits, are imported into the UK or produced in A growing awareness of the issues apple juice and coffee and are most the UK. surrounding excessive mycotoxin prevalent in warm and humid conditions. Globally, the requirement for mycotoxin Continued on page 24

International Food Hygiene — Volume 26 Number 2 23 Continued from page 23 harvest conditions. In external and internal Ergot alkaloids consumption has resulted in an increase in studies it is proven to deliver no false available screening technologies on the negatives and less than 5% false positives, , , Ergosinine, market. with results showing close correlation to , Ergocristinine, confirmatory methods. Dihydroergochrisine, , Importantly, Randox participates in Ergocryptinine, , Unique technology FAPAS, the largest and most comprehensive Ergocorninine, Ergotaminine, , analytical chemistry proficiency testing , Ergometrinine, , Randox Food Diagnostics offers a range of scheme in the food sector; ensuring that , LSD, iso-LSD, market leading screening tools for the screening methods are providing accurate qualitative analysis of mycotoxins, using both test results. Aflatoxin M1 the unique patented Biochip Array The benefits of Randox BAT include: Technology (BAT) and high quality ELISAs. l Straightforward screening for 10 Aflatoxin B2 These cutting edge BAT arrays allow fast, mycotoxins from a single sample. Aflatoxin B1 comprehensive and sensitive screening of all l Semi-quantitative results ready in under of the world’s most prevalent mycotoxins in two hours. Aflatoxin B1, Aflatoxin B2, Aflatoxin G1, arrays of 10, 7 or 3 assays, as shown in l No false negatives, less than 5% false Aflatoxin G2, Aflatoxin M1, Aflatoxin M2 Table 1. With a single 50µl sample of feed positives in studies. the user will obtain highly accurate l Confirms only the samples, saves money. Table 2. Extensive range of ELISAs for quantitative results in under two hours. l Robust and easy to use with simple 26 residues in three assays. Sample preparation is straightforward: add sample preparation for a single feed sample. solvent, vortex for 60 seconds and roll for For laboratories using ELISA screening, With global controls on food safety and 10 minutes, centrifuge for 10 minutes then Randox offers an extensive (and expanding) contaminants becoming ever more dilute, meaning the sample is ready for range of ELISAs for 26 residues in three complex, having the right technology is key testing within 20 minutes, with no need for assays: Ergot Alkaloids, Aflatoxin M1 and to meeting those challenges now and in the immunoaffinity columns. Aflatoxin B1, as shown in Table 2. The future. Using Randox BAT eliminates the need for ELISAs are pre-coated with antibodies, Randox Food Diagnostics technology is costly single tests, and lowers the cost per offering detection that meets regulatory tried and tested by many of the world’s sample, saving food testing laboratories time requirements, whilst saving time and leading food producers and is leading the and money. It provides laboratories with the ensuring rapid analysis. They offer excellent market in mycotoxin screening. n flexibility to test only those mycotoxins of inter and intra assay precision, which concern. This means that test assays can be increases the reliability of results, ensuring specified to screen for particular mycotoxins less false positives and guaranteeing the best References are available from depending on factors such as storage or screening capability. the author on request

24 International Food Hygiene — Volume 26 Number 2