Variability of aflatoxin test results

Whitaker, T. B.; Dickens, J. W.; Monroe, R. J.

doi:10.1007/bf02632897

Cited by 103 publications

(66 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Most other countries have adopted similar regulations (Food and Agriculture Organization 2004). Because individual peanut seeds can be contaminated with aflatoxin concentrations as high several hundred thousand to a million mg kg -1 coupled with the fact that usually very few seeds are contaminated, sampling error makes it very difficult to ensure that shelled lots meet the low regulatory limits (Whitaker et al 1974). The scientific research community, in conjunction with peanut industries, have worked very hard to ensure that edible-grade peanuts contain the lowest aflatoxin concentrations possible.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Management and prevention of mycotoxins in peanuts

Dorner

2008

Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A

165

102

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Contamination of peanuts with mycotoxins, particularly aflatoxins, is a worldwide problem that affects both food safety and agricultural economies. Most countries have adopted regulations that limit the quantity of aflatoxins in food and feed to 20 mg kg -1 or less; however, environmental conditions in most of the world where peanuts are produced and stored often make it difficult or impossible to attain such low concentrations. In addition to aflatoxins, peanuts are often contaminated with cyclopiazonic acid (CPA). Both mycotoxins are produced by Aspergillus flavus, a ubiquitous fungus that can infect and grow in peanuts under both pre-and post-harvest conditions. Management of mycotoxin contamination in peanuts generally involves removal of high-risk components from shelled lots or the removal of individual, highly contaminated nuts. This is accomplished by various processes such as screening, kernel sizing, electronic colour sorting, hand sorting, and blanching followed by electronic colour sorting. Recently, biological control technology has been developed that prevents much of the contamination that might otherwise occur. Biocontrol is based on competitive exclusion whereby a dominant population of a non-toxigenic strain of A. flavus is established in the soil before peanuts are subjected to conditions favouring contamination. The applied strain competes with toxigenic strains for infection sites, resulting in significantly reduced concentrations of aflatoxins in peanuts. Monitoring of the first commercial use of the technology showed that aflatoxins were reduced by an average of 85% in farmers' stock peanuts and by as much as 98% in shelled, edible grade peanuts.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Management and prevention of mycotoxins in peanuts

Dorner

2008

Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A

165

102

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“…In contrast, a large number of papers have appeared, related to secondary sampling schemes for aflatoxin B 1 (particularly on its distribution in a lot and on related sampling plans) (Whitaker et al 1974(Whitaker et al , 1976(Whitaker et al , 1979(Whitaker et al , 1994), but only a few studies deal with some Fusarium toxins (Hart and Schabenberger 1998;Whitaker et al 1998;Whitaker et al 2000). Conversely, specific studies focused on the distribution of OTA-contaminated units are not yet available, apart from the vague assumption that ''representative sampling'' for aflatoxins is more difficult than sampling for other known mycotoxins in food products.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of sampling in mycotoxin contamination: An holistic view

Miraglia¹,

Santis²,

Minardi³

et al. 2005

Food Additives & Contaminants

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The need to obtain a representative sample deserves particular consideration since a wrong sampling plan can greatly affect the reliability of the measured levels of mycotoxins. This can even result in legal disputes and barriers to trade. Reported here is an holistic view for an ideal sampling plan, which is based on two consecutive steps: (i) To establish 'why, where and when' sampling has to be performed by assessing the purpose, the appropriate time and the site for collecting the samples; (ii) To establish 'how' to draw samples by assessing practical ad hoc guidelines, considering that, for bulk goods in particular, mycotoxins are not at all homogeneously distributed in a lot. So far, step 1 is not yet covered by specific guidelines while for step 2, European regulations establish the procedures for the sampling of bulk and retail products potentially contaminated by mycotoxins.

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“…They use the Monte Carlo procedures (18) for detennining the acceptance probabilities for aflatoxin testing programs because it is a means for accounting for interrelated factors such as multiple samples, subsamples and analyses. Their approach in attacking this problem is described in an excellent manner (19) in a publication which breaks down the total error involved with the analysis of peanuts into its component parts and expresses these specific errors as coefficients of variation (C.V.). With peanuts, the total error is the error associated with sampling, the error associated with subsampling and the error associated with analysis.…”

Section: Associated Errorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sampling foodstuffs for mycotoxin analysis

Campbell¹

1980

Pure and Applied Chemistry

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-The obvious reason for sampling any given lot of material is to obtain a portion for determination or observation of attributes of the particular lot. It is also obvious that the sample must be representative of the lot to obtain meaningful results. Traditional means of sampling and sample preparation of agricultural crops and foodstuffs are usually not adequate for mycotoxin analyses . The main reason for this is that mycotoxin contamination is usually of a heterogenous nature and this presents problems in thepreparation of a homogenous sample for analysis. Sampling plans, sampling equipment, and sample preparation will be discussed. IWPROI1JCTION AND BACKGROU!The obvious reason for sampling any given lot of material is to obtain a portion for the determination or observation of attributes of the particular lot; in the discussion here it will be chemical analysis . It is also obvious that the sample must be representative of the lot if meaningful results are to be obtained. Traditional means of sampling and sample preparation of agricultural crops and foodstuffs are usually not adequate for mycotoxin analyses . The main reason for this is that mycotoxin contamination is usually of a heterogenous nature and this presents problems in obtaining a homogenous sample for analysis.For example, it has been shown that only a few kernels in a lot may be heavily contaminated but the rest of the kernels will not be contaminated. Therefore, in order to obtain a representative lot sample for analysis, it is necessary to take a relatively large amount from a number of sites in the lot and then properly prepare this lot sample in order to produce a representative sample for analysis.The exceptions are for foods which are readily flowable liquids, e . g., milk or beer, and foods which have been made into pastes by the processing, e.g., almond paste or smooth peanut butter or processed into powders, e.g., flour. The first class requires only a stirring whereas the latter classes require some mixing and blending to assure homogeneity.In analyzing foodstuffs for mycotoxins we are interested in finding out the true value (average or mean) of the contamination in any given lot. We will see later DE the true value of a lot is dependent upon at least three distinct but interdependent parts; namely, (1) sampling, (2) sample preparation, and (3) analysis. The analysis part of this problem will usually have the least error associated with it; the sampling part will have the largest and the sample preparation part will usually have an error lying somewhere between these two. I will not be discussing methods of analysis except as they inter-relate with sampling and sample preparation.Although we speak about plans for mycotoxin analysis, the plans developed to date have been devised for aflatoxin contaminations. There is little i.f any evidence to indicate that the nature of contaminations by other mycotoxins will be different from that of aflatoxin. So the information presented here for aflatoxin can be considered to apply to oth...

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Variability of aflatoxin test results

Cited by 103 publications

References 3 publications

Management and prevention of mycotoxins in peanuts

Management and prevention of mycotoxins in peanuts

The role of sampling in mycotoxin contamination: An holistic view

Sampling foodstuffs for mycotoxin analysis

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