Notes

Zearalenone Mycotoxin Test
Zearalenone is a toxin from fungal organisms that can disrupt the reproductive system of livestock and humans. It is produced by Fusarium molds, which can be present in a variety of grains like wheat, corn, soybeans, sorghum, barley, and rye. Zearalenone is also co-producer of other mycotoxins, such as deoxynivalenol (DON). In general, it's more rare than DON and aflatoxins, but it is still able to cause serious harm in the feed of animals and food products.


It is vital to test for zearalenone due to the fact that it is hard to detect in the field and in storage. Once present in feed, it may influence the health of animals as well as productivity. In humans it is associated to precocious puberty for girls and may increase the risk of ovarian, cervical, prostate, as well as breast cancer. Food Safety Test in animal feed may reduce the intake of feed, weight gain and increase mortality rates.


Mycotoxin levels can be affected by several variables, including weather conditions, agricultural practices and storage conditions. Even though best practices can decrease the risk of contamination with mycotoxin, the risk isn't eliminated completely. Mycotoxin testing is therefore mandatory by all who are involved in the creation and distribution of food or feed.


ELISA tests have been one of the most popular methods for detecting mycotoxins within grain and feed. The tests are able to bind antibodies to specific mycotoxins and cause an alteration in color depending on the mycotoxin in question is present. This method is easy to use, inexpensive and can identify a variety of mycotoxins. It is important to remember that ELISA testing is not able to determine the amount of mycotoxin in the sample.


A more advanced method of mycotoxin identification is high-performance liquid chromatography using mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). This type of analysis utilizes a combination of HPLC and MS to distinguish, detect, and identify mycotoxins. It can be used to determine aflatoxin, ochratoxin A (OTA) and zearalenone in grains and feeds. The test can be used for analyzing urine and milk samples.



This test gives more precise results when compared to ELISA tests. It has a shorter duration of incubation, and is able to determine up to 19 samples at a time. It is also able to test for other mycotoxins such as zearalenol, nivalenone, and deoxynivalenol, in along with aflatoxins as well as DON.

Website: https://mzfoodtest.com/