A comprehensive interlaboratory comparison study evaluated the performance of LC-MS/MS multi-mycotoxin methods across nine laboratories worldwide. The participants analyzed 24 regulated and emerging mycotoxins in four challenging matrices: soy, corn gluten, chicken feed, and swine feed. In total, more than 6,000 data points were generated and statistically assessed using consensus values and z-scores based on a modified Horwitz model.
Overall, 70% of all results fell within the satisfactory z-score range (±2), demonstrating that routine laboratories are capable of delivering reliable data for both regulated and non-regulated mycotoxins, even in complex feed matrices. Importantly, the study showed comparable analytical performance for emerging mycotoxins, highlighting that many laboratories have already expanded their analytical scope in anticipation of potential future regulations.
Matrix complexity strongly influenced performance. Corn gluten and compound feeds posed the greatest analytical challenges due to matrix effects, signal suppression/enhancement, and extraction limitations. These effects were most effectively mitigated by the use of isotopically labelled internal standards (SIDA), which consistently outperformed recovery-corrected approaches—particularly for highly prevalent toxins such as DON, ZEN, fumonisins, and HT-2.
Beyond method evaluation, the study demonstrated that the applied design is fit for the development of future certified reference materials, exceeding current regulatory analyte–matrix combinations. Overall, the results confirm a high degree of method harmonization among international laboratories and underline the importance of advanced QC strategies, internal standards, and reference materials to support robust mycotoxin risk assessment in feed and food safety.
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