- Slides: 39
The control of mycotoxins in foods & feeds THE TOXIMET SYSTEM Prof. Raymond Coker Consulting Limited August 2015
Agenda The mycotoxin problem The modern approach to mycotoxin control Mycotoxin measurement methods The Toxi. Met System 2
Agenda The mycotoxin problem The modern approach to mycotoxin control Mycotoxin measurement methods The Toxi. Met System 3
Mycotoxins are highly potent toxins produced by certain fungi, and can contaminate numerous commodities • FAO estimates that potentially toxigenic fungi are present in 25% of global crops • Mycotoxins are acutely & chronically toxic, and carcinogenic to animals & Man 4
Important Human Mycotoxicoses Mycotoxin Toxicity Ergot alkaloids St Anthony’s Fire (Europe in Middle Ages) (Hallucinations & loss of limbs) A very early example of a mycotoxicosis Aflatoxins Acutely toxic in high concentrations (ppm) Liver disease Malnutrion (Kwashiokor) Stunted growth Liver cancer Ochratoxin A Renal disease e. g. “Balkan endemic nephropathy” (but still open to debate!) Fumonisins Human oesophageal cancer Deoxynivalenol Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea T-2 Toxin “Alimentary toxic aleukia” (Vomiting, diarrhoea, leukopenia) Killed tens of thousands of people in USSR in 1940 s St Anthony’s Fire Liver cancer 5
Important Animal Mycotoxicoses CAUSE SERIOUS FINANCIAL LOSSES (Aflatoxins, Ochratoxin A, Deoxynivalenol, Zearalenone, Fumonisins) POULTRY: • Turkey X disease – England, 1960 s • Decrease disease resistance (inc. vaccination failure) • Decreased feed conversion ratio • Increased water consumption • Increase bruising of carcass • Decreased egg production • Poor shell quality • Decreased hatchability DAIRY CATTLE: • Deceased feed consumption • Decreased feed conversion ratio • Decreased milk production • Milk contaminated with aflatoxin M 1, if aflatoxin B 1 in diet SWINE: • Serious reproductive disorders 6
Mycotoxins are highly regulated worldwide and are especially stringent in Europe - EU Regulations for Mycotoxins in Food 7
Worldwide Regulations have a large impact on trade especially upon the exports of emerging economies! • USA – FDA action levels (FDA, 2000) • Europe – Legislation for food (EU, 2010 b) – especially stringent regulations • Europe – Legislation for animal feed (EU, 2003) • Codex Alimentarius – Global guidelines for acceptable mycotoxin levels • Rest of World – individual countries have their own regulations Emerging countries especially affected by regulations: • BRIC – Brazil, Russia, India and China • MINT – Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey 8
Mycotoxins are a leading cause for EU border rejections 9
SUPERMARKETS REACT BADLY TO MYCOTOXIN CONTAMINATED PRODUCTS!! • Brand damage • Recall costs • Negative PR Source: Press search; UK Food Standards Agency; RASFF database 10
Product rejection, at multiple mycotoxin testing points, leads to highly significant financial losses associated with purchase, processing, sales & transportation costs throughout global food (and feed) value chains: • • Shipping START Farmers Exporter R Accurate testing (HPLC) applied by regulators * Processors Traders P Purchasing points ACCURATE & UNIFORM TESTING: • • • Before purchase/processing During processing After processing (at export & import) END Supermarkets (Food) Livestock farmers (Feed) R Importer * Multiple mycotoxin testing points Some larger farmer will test on-farm • • Processors Traders Supermarkets exert large amount of pressure on their suppliers in the value chain! Outsource small number of tests for due diligence purposes 11
Agenda The mycotoxin problem The modern approach to mycotoxin control Mycotoxin measurement methods The Toxi. Met System 12
The application of Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) Plans for mycotoxin control throughout the food & feed value chains: The mycotoxin content of batches are controlled at Critical Control Points (CCPs) as they pass along the value chain, requiring accurate & convenient sampling, sample preparation & analysis methods Crop Harvest Drying & Storage Transport Border Control Processing Retail Sampling, sample preparation and analysis accurately performed at CCPs ANALYSIS SHOULD BE PERFORMED ACCURATELY & CONSISTENTLY! 13
HACCP mycotoxin control methods are frequently employed in food & feed processing plants: Potential control points (CCPs and Good Manufacturing Practice) Feed Manufacturing Edible Nut Processing • At purchasing point of raw material(s) • At factory gate • After cleaning • After grinding • After shelling • After mixing • During & after optical sorting and hand picking • After pelleting • After roasting (if appropriate) • After grading • At the factory gate • After bagging • At factory gate 14
Analysis methods employed at Critical Control Points should have the following criteria: • High performance: Highly accurate, simultaneous analysis of multiple mycotoxins (matching performance of HPLC) • Highly consistency: Same performance throughout the value chain • Simple & robust: Operated by non-scientists in factory and warehouse environments, at high ambient temperatures • Faster turnaround: Whole analysis completed in 45 min. or less • Environmentally friendly: Low solvent usage • Lower health risks to employees: Factory calibrated; no need for users to handle toxins whilst producing calibration curves • Lower maintenance costs: e. g. minimal number of moving parts 15
Agenda The mycotoxin problem The modern approach to mycotoxin control Mycotoxin measurement methods The Toxi. Met System 16
Several mycotoxin testing methods currently exist, but all have serious drawbacks when employed within a HACCP Plan 17
Agenda The mycotoxin problem The modern approach to mycotoxin control Mycotoxin measurement methods The Toxi. Met System 18
19
We believe that safe & nutritious food should be accessible to everyone in the world • Toxi. Met founded in 2005 by mycotoxin control specialist Professor Raymond Coker Prof. Raymond Coker • Emeritus Professor of Food Safety at the University of Greenwich • Has worked in global control of mycotoxins in food & feed for almost 40 years. Ø led many international projects on behalf of FSA, FAO, WHO, EU, IAEA, USAID & DFID Ø operated in South & South East Asia, China, Africa & South America Ø specialist in development of sampling, sample preparation & analysis methods; design & implementation of HACCP Plans; design and construction of chemical detoxification technology • Developed the Toxi. Met System in response to his identification of a clear need for mycotoxin analysis methods which could be employed in a variety of different locations within food and feed value chains, during the implementation of HACCP Plans 20
ü Affordable & robust ü Multiple toxins, simultaneously ü Used by non-scientists ü Highly accurate ü Fast & no calibration ü Minimal maintenance 21
Toxi. Met System: extraction to highly accurate, quantitative results in just 45 minutes All methods: 30 min. Toxi. Met System: 15 min. 22
Toxi. Quant instrument touch-screen interface designed for easy operation by non-scientists and with no opportunity for interfering with integrity of results 23
Innovative combination of sophisticated spectroscopy and chemometric software allows simultaneous and accurate multiple toxin measurement Fluorescence signals Fluorescence spectra Chemometric predictions Results displayed ➤ Sophisticated optical system enables the generation of an accurate and precise fluorescence signal by a mixture of toxins immobilised on the Toxi. Trace cartridge ➤ The fluorescence signal is converted into a mixed fluorescence spectrum by a minispectrometer incorporated within the Toxi. Quant instrument ➤ The mixed spectrum is interrogated by a sophisticated proprietary chemometric algorithm which recognises and accurately quantifies the individual immobilised toxins ➤ Expensive & complex chromatographic separation & measurement (HPLC) replaced by affordable & simple “mathematical” separation & measurement process 24
The Toxi. Quant instrument combines the best properties of current testing methods, and can be successfully operated in factories & warehouses throughout the globe ELISA HPLC Lateral Flow UPLC Fluorometer LC-MS/MS Affordable Fast Simultaneous multiple toxins Highly accurate Multiple toxins measured, simultaneously Affordable & robust Fast & no calibration required Minimal maintenance 25
26
Dual layer Toxi. Trace plus Toxi. Quant instrument simultaneously immobilises & measures aflatoxins and ochratoxin A 27
Highly accurate results obtained when Toxi. Quant used to measure aflatoxins in a variety of foods, in excellent agreement with HPLC 28
Highly accurate results obtained when Toxi. Quant used to measure aflatoxins in figs and ochratoxin A in dried vine fruit; in excellent agreement with HPLC at EU regulatory levels Aflatoxins in Figs 20. 0 18. 0 16. 0 14. 0 12. 0 10. 0 8. 0 Ochratoxin A Total Aflatoxin 50. 0 16. 0 45. 0 14. 0 40. 0 12. 0 35. 0 10. 0 30. 0 25. 0 8. 0 20. 0 6. 0 15. 0 6. 0 4. 0 10. 0 2. 0 5. 0 0. 0 2. 0 4. 0 6. 0 8. 0 10. 0 12. 0 14. 0 16. 0 18. 0 20. 0 22. 0 Toxi. Quant (ppb) Aflatoxin B 1 Ochratoxin A in dried vine fruit Raisins 4. 0 2. 0 HPLC (ppb) 0. 0 5. 0 10. 0 15. 0 20. 0 25. 0 30. 0 35. 0 40. 0 45. 0 50. 0 HPLC (ppb) 0. 0 29
Limit of Detection (LOD) and Limit of Quantification (LOQ) are well below EU regulatory levels: e. g. aflatoxins in ready to eat groundnuts (ppb) LOD LOQ EU limit Aflatoxin B 1 0. 08 0. 26 2. 0 Total aflatoxins 0. 30 1. 00 4. 0 30
Toxi. Met received the INC Innovation Award 2013, placing it as the technology of choice for the nut & dried fruit industry • INC congress, May 21 st – 23 rd 2013, Barcelona • 1, 100 delegates from 65 countries 31
The Toxi. Met System can be installed in a warehouse, processing plant, or other basic facility, in less than 1 h, using very little space 32
Toxi. Quant instruments are now present in five continents, and have received excellent customer feedback “Working with HPLC is difficult, time-consuming and also very expensive. The Toxi. Quant system, being very fast and easy to use has completely changed the way we work. From making the slurry to getting the results takes 40 minutes which is very helpful in allowing us to make decisions quickly. This has, in-turn, had a significant effect on storage and shipping times. The cost saving is realised across the whole business. ” Elham Farajpour, Quality Control Manager, Cap Kerman “We undertook extensive tests with Toxi. Quant to ensure that results were in line with HPLC testing. Given the accuracy, simplicity and the speed of response we are very happy with the new system. It also means that we no longer have to factor in time for the external testing of samples when supplying our buyers so deliveries can be made more quickly. ” Li Thi Kim Hue, Purchase & Quality Manager, Olam Vietnam 33
THE TOXIMET SYSTEM IN INDIA, CHINA & VIETNAM… 34
India – Sampling & sample preparation prior to aflatoxin testing 35
The Toxi. Met System in India 36
The Toxi. Met System in Vietnam 37
The Toxi. Met System in China 38
Thank you for your kind attention! raycokerconsulting@gmail. com www. toximet. com