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The highly toxic fumonisin mycotoxins (FB1, FB2 and FB3) frequently occur in maize that is intended for food production in the UK. These mycotoxins are regularly detected in maize-based foods. Quantitative analysis of these toxins is difficult, with analytical results prone to vary between laboratories, sometimes by orders of magnitude.
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It is important that the methods used for the surveillance of mycotoxins give an accurate measure of the amount of that mycotoxin in the raw material or foods tested, so that people's exposure to that toxin can be determined accurately and managed.
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Effectively the aim of this research project is to develop an improved method of quantitatively analysing maize-based foodstuffs for fumonisins.
The project will examine and optimise extraction of fumonisins prior to examination of clean-up. This challenge includes full extraction of the parent fumonisins present in raw materials and food products, extraction of any hydrolysed fumonisins from food products and extraction of any bound fumonisin.
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This extraction optimisation will identify the most appropriate conditions (sample preparation, pH, extraction solvent and process). After this, investigation of sample preparation/clean-up techniques will be carried out. The whole method (extraction, clean-up, and end determination) will be assessed to demonstrate the performance parameters. These must meet specified EC mycotoxin method parameters to be judged acceptable. The sample types studied will be selected to reflect both UK consumption patterns and proposed regulations.
<p>Find more about this project and other FSA food safety-related projects at the <a href="http://www.food.gov.uk/science/research/" target="_blank">Food
Standards Agency Research webpage</a>.