Millenium EditionNEWS FROM INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES In February 1999 the EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF STANDARDIZATION (CEN) has published a report with criteria for the selection of methods of analysis of mycotoxins in foodstuffs (CR 13505). In the beginning of 1999 new European legislation came in force with maximum levels for aflatoxin B1 in nuts, cereals and dried fruit and aflatoxin M1 in milk and milk products. It is expected that legislation for other mycotoxins will soon follow. These developments lead to an increased importance of analysis of mycotoxins. Selecting the right method is complicated, but of crucial importance for an adequate analysis. The new CEN report, entitled "Food analysis - Biotoxins - Criteria of analytical methods for mycotoxins," describes criteria that can symplify the selection. Performance characteristics that are included are repeatability, reproducibility and recovery for methods of analysis of aflatoxins B1 and M1, ochratoxin A, patulin, fumonisins, (deoxy)nivalenol, HT-2 toxin, T-2 toxin and zearalenone. It is the responsability of the analyst to select the method of analysis to suit his or her purposes. Experts from several European analytical laboratories with expertise in the field of mycotoxin analysis have based the performance characteristics in the CEN report on published data collected from official reports of European interlaboratory studies on the respective mycotoxins (e.g., certification studies, method validation studies, etc.). Where these performance characteristics were absent or limited in availability, the criteria were estimated, based on the experiences and opinions of the experts of the CEN working group "Biotoxins." The CEN report with criteria can be used by food manufacturers to determine with reasonable certainty whether a production batch may be put on the market and can be used to enable regulatory authorities to determine equitably whether foodstuffs on the market comply with legal limits. Contact: Marcel de Vreeze, Secretary CEN working group "Biotoxins," NNI, P.O. Box 5059, 2600 GB Delft, The Netherlands. Fax: +33-15-269-0190. E-Mail: marcel.devreeze@nni.nl |