engleski

Mycotoxin detection methods and legislation

Mycotoxins are a 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). In legislation we have analytical criteria that laboratories for quantification of mycotoxins have to meet (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. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has requested additional attention for following mycotoxins: enniatins, beuvericin, alternaria toxins, citrinin, sterigmatocystin, moniliformin, diacetoxyscirpenol, ergot alkaloids and phomopsins.

mycotoxins; detection methods; legislation

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