The 6 biggest challenges in mycotoxin analysis and how to overcome them

Mycotoxins are one of the most important topics in food safety. However, analysis poses several challenges for laboratories because detection is a difficult task, and sometimes mycotoxins are not detected. These are the biggest challenges in mycotoxin analysis – and how to master all of them.

30 August 20263 min read

1. Complex analytical matrices

- The complex matrices encountered in mycotoxin analysis are a major challenge for laboratories. Mycotoxins can be found in many types of food, including cereals, nuts, coffee and dairy products. Some matrices, such as spices, contain interfering substances that make analysis difficult. Feed is also difficult to analyze because its exact composition is not always clear.

2. Non-representative samples

Another difficulty is that mycotoxins are unevenly distributed in food. In a so-called "hot spot", the concentration can be very high, while the rest of the lot may be unaffected. Representative sampling is therefore essential, and a larger sample size always gives more meaningful results than a smaller one. In products with large particle sizes, such as figs or nuts, the mold is distributed particularly unevenly. Therefore, according to Regulation (EC) No 401/2006, the number of samples must be greater than for products with smaller particle sizes.

3. Sample preparation is not done properly

Before each analysis, the sample must be prepared properly. Depending on the test and the specific sample, a different procedure may be needed; consult the instructions for use of the relevant test kit. For complex matrices, such as spices, homogenization and extraction alone are not sufficient – such samples, for example, need to be cleaned up with immunoaffinity columns.

4. Concentrations below the limit of detection

Mycotoxins can be extremely toxic even at low concentrations. The European Union has therefore set very strict limit values in some cases – for example, only 5 µg/kg for Aflatoxin B1 in spices. To detect such low concentrations, the analytical method must be very sensitive and accurate. With low limits of detection, ELISA methods as well as R-Biopharm's quantitative rapid tests allow the detection of very low levels of contamination – Aflatoxin M1 in milk can be detected from a starting range of 5 ng/l (ppt).

5. Multiple mycotoxins may be present

- Another difficulty is the fact that there are many different mycotoxins. More than 300 mycotoxins are now known, but only a few are regulated by law. Multiple mycotoxins can occur simultaneously; it is not unusual to find several different trichothecenes in one product. This year, for example, significant concentrations of T-2/HT-2 toxin were found alongside DON in some regions. Other goods may contain Ochratoxin together with Aflatoxin. Testing food for a single mycotoxin is therefore sometimes not enough.

- See all the test kits for mycotoxin analysis here.

6. Masked mycotoxins cannot be detected

In recent years there has been much discussion about the topic of "masked mycotoxins". This term, also known as matrix-bound or modified mycotoxins, describes metabolites of mycotoxins. These compounds are formed in the plant, for example through conjugation. They occur particularly in Fusarium toxins and are believed to be as toxic as the original toxins. Because their chemical structure is altered, analysis is more complicated. Suitable analytical methods for detecting masked mycotoxins are, for example, the immunoaffinity columns from R-Biopharm.