Aflatoxin Measurements: How HPLC Methods Have Evolved over the Last 20 Years?

The institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM) provides high quality certified reference materials for decades. Certified reference materials for mycotoxin analysis are available from IRMM since 1985. Since then IRMM characterises, in general, reference materials by the mean of interlaboratory studies with expert laboratories. Such measurement exercises are based on routinely used analytical procedures in the laboratory, but are driving the performance of them to the best achievable quality under the given circumstances. Reference materials for aflatoxin measurements have been certified by such studies in the years 1991, 1993; 2008 and 2009. After two decades it is time to look back, reflect and ask some questions. The questions are: How did methods for analysis of aflatoxins evolve in the last 20 years? Is there a trend towards a preferred methodology? Does it reflect improvements due to the introduction of standardised methods? Is there an improvement of performance parameters such as repeatability, reproducibility and measurement uncertainty? To answer those questions the data of six interlaboratory studies, performed in the last twenty years for the certification of aflatoxins in peanut meal, peanut butter and animal feed, have been re-evaluated. It turns out that there is a trend toward a preferred methodology, which reflects developments in standardised methods. But no significant improvement of repeatability, reproducibility and measurement uncertainty, could be detected in expert laboratories for mycotoxin analysis.

BUTTINGER Gerhard; 

2010-08-04

TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

JRC57468

0265-203X,   

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC57468,   

10.1080/19440049.2010.487502,