Mycotoxins are fungal toxins that occur naturally in field crops, food and feeds. They are commonly formed in the field during the growing season and are highly susceptible to the environmental conditions which is made worse in a wet and humid climate. Such contaminated crops are toxic to humans and animals, which poses a major health issue for the end-consumer. To manage mycotoxins, more than 100 countries have established regulations for mycotoxins in food and feed. Adopting reliable and efficient mycotoxin testing solutions are therefore essential for the food and feed industry for effective mycotoxin risk management.

It is advisable to test for mycotoxins in raw materials and ingredients before they were included into production. Testing for mycotoxins can be done either using rapid or reference testing methods. Rapid testing involves using lateral flow devices (LFD) and/or ELISA methods. LFDs such as the AgraStrip® PRO WATEX® system, are simple-to-use devices that can effectively help to test grain commodities or other simple matrices on-site in under 10 minutes. On the other hand, ELISA testing supports more complex matrices and is still the most widely adopted method by labs in Asia.

Besides rapid testing, reference testing is also important for effective mycotoxin management. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods are used in reference testing. Especially for mass-spectrometry tests, it is comprehensive enough to provide detailed analysis and results of their materials hence giving you a deeper insight to mycotoxins which cannot be detected using the rapid methods. Romer Labs Singapore houses a full-service lab to support customers in Asia of their analytical needs. The lab also brings augmented mycotoxin testing methods with screening services such as Multi-Mycotoxin Analysis 50+, which gives specific information on any of more than 50 mycotoxins in a sample in one report. It is also accredited with both ISO 9001 and ISO 17025 to ensure that you receive the guarantee for reliable and accurate results.

Mycotoxin risk management is a continuous journey in food safety. Ms Yong Wee LIAU, Managing Director of Romer Labs Asia-Pacific comments: “For years, we have prided ourselves on being an extension of our customers’ labs. We aim to go beyond that by being with our customers every step of the way. Food safety is of utmost importance in all aspects of life, and our lab has been designed with their needs in mind to help them meet their food and feed safety goals.”