Regulatory limits have been set worldwide for Aflatoxins in food and feed, as well as for AFM1 in milk
Eurofins Technologies (ERF), a supplier of test kits and systems for laboratory analyses headquartered in Luxembourg, has recently announced that its ELISA assay (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) for the detection of aflatoxin M1, I’screen AFLA M1 milk, has been granted AOAC Research Institute Performance Tested MethodsSM status (AOAC Cert. No. 072002) for use with raw bovine whole milk, skim milk and powdered milk.
The assay was developed by Eurofins Tecna, a biotechnology company with 25 years’ experience in mycotoxin screening in food and feedstuffs. Eurofins Tecna is part of the Eurofins Technologies’ group of companies.
Aflatoxins are mycotoxins produced by different strains of Aspergillus, which grow on agricultural commodities, with high moisture content, at relatively high temperatures. Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is a derivative of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) that is present in the milk of animals that have been fed with AFB1-contaminated feed.
Regulatory limits have been set worldwide for Aflatoxins in food and feed, as well as for AFM1 in milk. AFM1 limits in milk vary in different countries between 0.05 and 0.5 µg/Kg. In the European Union, the limit has been set at 0.05 µg/Kg.
The sensitivity of the I’screen Afla M1 milk assay allows the detection of aflatoxin M1 at concentrations below the regulatory limits set by the European Union. It is possible to dilute samples and use the kit in compliance with non-EU regulations, which set concentrations of up to ten times higher than Europe.