Mycotoxins Testing

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds that can contaminate food or feed products, jeopardize their quality, and pose health risks to consumers. Their presence is connected to the growth of moulds which contaminate food product unevenly at different stages of the food chain. Sampling procedures require therefore that the sample to be analysed is representative of the batch.

Neotron's extensive experience in the field of analysis on food products means we have implemented a range of analytical procedures specific for the different food matrices. The types of contaminating mycotoxins depend both on the food matrix and on cultivation, processing, and storage conditions.

Our Analytical Services

Our analytical procedures are specifically validated on the different matrices and sample preparation protocols aiming at reducing variability of the analytical value, as well as guarantee accurate and repeatable analytical data.

In particular, the sample is treated according to a “Slurry” technique, which requires fine mixing of the product in order to make it perfectly homogeneous and the mycotoxin to be tested evenly distributed inside the sample.

Mycotoxins in babyfood

Since the maximum limits of mycotoxins in baby food are referred to the dry substance it is important to inform our laboratory about the nature of your sample, communicating that it is babyfood, in order to allow a correct execution of the analysis (adequate quantification limit) and a correct expression of the analytical result. In this case the determination of the water content on the sample will also be carried out.

Mycotoxins in animal feeds

Since the maximum limits of mycotoxins in animal feeds are referred to 12% humidity it is important to inform our laboratory about the nature of the sample, by communicating that it is animal food. It is suggested also to request the determination of the water content, in the order to have the elements that allow a correct evaluation of the result. You may also request the results to be expressed referring to a humidity of 12%.

Legislative References
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 of 19 December 2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs

Developments
New substances produced by fungi were pointed out for their toxicological action and their presence in food products. They are therefore considered as mycotoxins and pointed at as new health risk factors. For the determination of some of these substances Neotron developed proper analytical techniques, which can be applied on the main matrices.

Systematic participation in the Proficiency Test provides external evidence of the performance of the applied test methods. Contact us to receive the results of the latest P-tests.

Determination of Alternaria toxins in food

Alternaria toxins are mycotoxins produced by Alternaria species that cause plant diseases on many crops. They are the principal contaminating fungi in wheat, sorghum and barley, and have also been reported to occur in oilseeds such as sunflower and rapeseed, tomato, apples, citrus fruits, olives and several other fruits and vegetables.

Neotron performs the analysis of Alternaria toxins by LC-MS/MS technique, permitting to detect the residues in compliance with Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/553 of 5 April 2022.