Everything you need to know about mycotoxins

Food testing needs to single out and identify many different kinds of threats to health, from live microbes to contaminants from production machinery like oil and metal. 

One of these hazards is that of mycotoxins, which have severe health effects when consumed by humans. Fortunately, simple food testing processes can detect these compounds and prevent them from entering the food chain. 

What are mycotoxins? 

Mycotoxins are natural compounds produced by a variety of fungi. They are toxic to humans and can be produced when moulds are left to grow on cereals, nuts, and all types of crops. 

Not all mycotoxins affect the body in the same way and to the same level of severity, and hundreds of types have been identified thus far. Not every mycotoxin is unique to the fungus that produces it, and several different species of fungi may produce the same mycotoxin. 

Unlike moulds growth, which can be easy to spot with the naked eye, mycotoxins can be present in food unseen and cannot be eliminated through basic quality control processes like visual inspection. 

Some of the most dangerous identified strains include aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, and trichothecenes. 

Mycotoxins are known as a secondary metabolite, something created by a fungus as it breaks down the organic matter that it uses as a food source. Curiously, this means that whatever mycotoxin a fungus produces isn’t strictly necessary for its survival or proliferation. 

The exact reasons for creating these toxins isn’t known, but it’s theorised that it might intend to help fungi growth by weakening the host. 

Why is it important to test for mycotoxins? 

The most immediate need to test for mycotoxins lies in the fact that they can cause severe harm to those who ingest them. Mycotoxins can cause kidney and liver damage, gastrointestinal problems, and even cancer and DNA damage. 

Further to the damage they can cause, mycotoxins don’t rely on direct consumption. Once they’ve entered the food chain, their harmful effects can be passed on. For instance, a cow that consumes silage infected with mycotoxins can pass the toxins on to humans, either through drinking its milk or consuming its beef. 

To this end, testing for these toxins is not only important for food products that serve as food first hand for humans, but also for any sources of food for animals including livestock and pets. 

The effects of mycotoxins can be life-changing if not fatal, so robust testing is essential in any environment where they might have had a chance to find their way into crops. 

How do you test for mycotoxins? 

As mentioned earlier, mycotoxins may come from mould, but they do not rely on the presence of mould to persist in food. Therefore, their presence can’t simply be ascertained from looking for the physical signs of mould. 

Fortunately, testing for mycotoxins is quick, easy, and accurate with the right equipment. 

Present mycotoxins can be picked up from a sample onto a lateral flow test strip, which can then be read to ascertain the level of toxins present. 

The speed and accuracy of this test means it can be easily incorporated into quality assurance processes, and it can be used for farm testing or in the production environment. 

Ideally, a single mycotoxin test wouldn’t form the backbone of quality control in this particular area, and testing would be conducted in at least two or three stages during the entire food production chain. 

The reason for this is that contamination from mycotoxins, as mentioned earlier, doesn’t rely solely on mould being present on food, and it could occur through contact with other contaminated food and surfaces, or spread through a person touching the food with contaminated hands. 

Therefore, to fully test for the presence of mycotoxins, it may be necessary to not only test the food items themselves but also to test surfaces and equipment used in food preparation processes. 

What tools are available at Calibre Control to help test for mycotoxins? 

To test for mycotoxins accurately and quickly, we recommend Charm Mycotoxin Test Strips used in conjunction with the Charm EZ-M Mycotoxin Reader. 

Using the test strips with a sample of the food to be tested, simple water enables the process to take place, eliminated the need for harmful chemicals. Each test strip detects the presence of specific mycotoxins.  

When the strip is loaded into the EZ-M Reader, the machine detects the type of loaded strip automatically, adjusting time and temperature accordingly as it incubates. The process will complete without assistant and the results are given in a simple, easy-to-read format. 

The tests work in as little as 3-5 minutes and the Reader can store as many as 100,000 results onto an SD card for data storage and backup. Thanks to the speed and accuracy of the reader, batch testing and real-time quality control are accessible, reliable, and repeatable. 

The machine is compact and lightweight, making it just as suited for on-site farm and factory testing as it is for a laboratory environment. 

To learn more about mycotoxins, food testing, and quality control as well as the equipment that will help make it possible, talk to Calibre Control today. 

We strive to help you with advice, guidance, and reliable equipment so that you can remain informed and compliant at all times. 

Speak with our team. Contact us today.