The International Mycotoxin Check Sample Programme

Abstract

Each year, laboratories in more than 40 countries around the world involved in the analysis of aflatoxins of food, control the quality of their analytical results by participating in the International Mycotoxin Check Sample Programme. Identical portions of homogenized samples of peanuts or maize, contaminated with aflatoxins B₁, B₂, G₁ and G₂, and of lyophilized milk, contaminated with aflatoxin M₁, are distributed to over 300 laboratories. In 1988, a sample of ochratoxin A contaminated wheat flour was also distributed to about 150 interested laboratories. By analysing these samples, the participating analyst can compare his own results, obtained using the method of his choice, with those of a large number of other laboratories and can take steps to modify and improve techniques if his results do not compare favourably. Participation in the programme is without charge and samples are distributed about once each year. Interested laboratories are encouraged to participate in future surveys.