We were thrilled to participate in RAFA 2024, showcasing our latest work on the quality and consistency of liquid mycotoxin reference standards.
During the conference, we presented findings from a comprehensive study examining 30 standards from 10 leading global manufacturers, focusing on three key mycotoxins: Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), Deoxynivalenol (DON), and Zearalenone (ZON). Using LC-MS/MS, HPLC-DAD, and LC-HRMS, we evaluated concentration accuracy, impurities, and overall reliability.
The results revealed that 30% of the tested standards fell outside acceptable limits, highlighting the critical need for stronger quality controls and adjustments to ISO 17034. In particular, our research advocates for:
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Uniform purity assessment using quantitative NMR (q-NMR) instead of conventional HPLC-UV or LC-MS/MS methods.
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Strict total uncertainty limits: ≤3% for standards with a shelf life of ≤1 year, ≤5% for longer-lived standards.
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Continuous long-term stability monitoring to prevent degradation and ensure reliable reference values.
Our study emphasizes the vital role of high-quality reference materials in guaranteeing accurate mycotoxin measurement and safeguarding food and feed safety worldwide.
A big thank you to RAFA 2024 for providing a platform to exchange insights with global experts and discuss the future of next-generation mycotoxin standards.
