engleski

Mycotoxin detection methods and legislation

Mycotoxins are group of toxic secondary metabolites produced by moulds and there is more than 400 different mycotoxins known. They can be found in food as a result of fungal infestation of crops, directly eaten by humans or used as a livestock feed. Due to their toxicity, there were established regulatory limits. From all mycotoxins there are only 13 regulated in Croatia and EU: Aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, G2, M1, Ochratoxin A, Patulin, Deoxynivalenol, Zearalenone, Fumonisin B1, Fumonisin B2, T-2 toxin and HT-2 toxin (last two have only analytical requirements, not maximum tolerable concentration). European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has asked for additional attention for following mycotoxins: Enniantines, Beuvericin, Alternaria toxins, Citrinin, Sterigmatocystine, Moniliformin, Fumonisins, Diacetoxyscirpenol and Phomopsins. In legislation analytical criteria that laboratories for quantification of mycotoxins have to meet are defined (NN 45/08 ; EC 401/2006). Special attention is given to recovery, repeatability, reproducibility and LOD/LOQ. Some older methods cannot meet all criteria, due to some lacks such as low sensitivity, specificity, selectivity and accuracy, while new methods which are using LC-MS/MS techniques can easier meet performance and the results are more reliable due to determining masses of particles, their fragments and quantifier/qualifier ratio.

mycotoxins; detection methods; legislation

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