Liquid chromatographic method for determination of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 in corn and peanut products: collaborative study

A collaborative study of a liquid chromatographic method for the determination of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 was conducted in laboratories located in the United States, Canada, South Africa, and Switzerland. Twenty-one artificially contaminated raw peanuts, peanut butter, and corn samples containing varying amounts of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 were distributed to participating laboratories. The test portion was extracted with methanol-0.1N HCl (4 + 1), filtered, defatted with hexane, and then partitioned with methylene chloride. The concentrated extract was passed through a silica gel column. Aflatoxins B1 and G1 were derivatized with trifluoroacetic acid, and the individual aflatoxins were determined by reverse-phase liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Statistical analysis of the data was performed to determine or confirm outliers, and to compute repeatability and reproducibility of the method. For corn, relative standard deviations for repeatability (RSDr) for aflatoxin B1 ranged from 27.2 to 8.3% for contamination levels from 5 through 50 ng/g. For raw peanuts and peanut butter, RSDr values for aflatoxin B1 were 35.0 to 41.2% and 11.2 to 19.1%, respectively, for contamination levels from 5 through 25 ng/g. RSDr values for aflatoxins B2, G1, and G2 were similar. Relative standard deviations for reproducibility (RSDr) for aflatoxin B1 ranged from 15.8 to 38.4%, 24.4 to 33.4%, and 43.9 to 54.0% for corn, peanut butter, and raw peanuts, respectively. The method has been adopted official first action for the determination of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 in peanut butter and corn at concentrations greater than or equal to 13 ng total aflatoxins/g.     

Comparative study of two methods for extraction of aflatoxin from peanut meal and peanut butter

The difference between the CB and Best Foods methods in extracting aflatoxins from peanut products has been studied. The CB method yields 60, 121, 35, and 22% higher results for aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2, respectively for 4 samples of peanut meal and 6 samples of peanut butter studied. Both reverse phase liquid chromatography and thin layer chromatography were used to quantitate the extracted aflatoxins.     

Simple, rapid cleanup method for analysis of aflatoxins and comparison with various methods

A method is described for simple and rapid determination of aflatoxins in corn, buckwheat, peanuts, and cheese. Aflatoxins were extracted with chloroform-water and were purified by a Florisil column chromatographic procedure. Column eluates were concentrated and spotted on a high performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) plate, which was then developed in chloroform-acetone (9 + 1) and/or ether-methanol-water (94 + 4.5 + 1.5) or chloroform-isopropanol-acetone (85 + 5 + 10). Each aflatoxin was quantitated by densitometry. The minimum detectable aflatoxin concentrations (micrograms/kg) in various test materials were 0.2, B1; 0.1, B2; 0.2, G1; 0.1, G2; and 0.1, M1. Recoveries of the aflatoxins added to corn, peanut, and cheese samples at 10-30 micrograms/kg were greater than 69% (aflatoxin G2) and averaged 91%, B1; 89%, B2; 91%, G1; 78%, G2; and 92%, M1. The simple method described was compared with the AOAC CB method, AOAC BF method, and AOAC milk and cheese method. These methods were applied to corn, peanut, and cheese composites spiked with known amounts of aflatoxins, and to naturally contaminated buckwheat and cheese. Recoveries were much lower for the BF method compared with our simple method and the CB method.     

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of aflatoxins B1, B2, and G1 in corn, cottonseed, peanuts, peanut butter, and poultry feed: collaborative study

A direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) screening method for aflatoxins at 20 ng/g was studied by 12 collaborators. Test samples of peanut butter were extracted by blending with methanol-water-hexane (55 + 45 + 100) and heating the test extracts on a steam bath; test samples of the other commodities were extracted by blending with methanol-water (80 + 20). All test extracts were filtered and the filtrates were diluted with buffer to a final methanol concentration of less than 30%. Each diluted filtrate was applied to a cup containing a filter with immobilized polyclonal antibodies specific to aflatoxins B1, B2, and G1. Aflatoxin B1-peroxidase conjugate was added, the cup was washed with water, and a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and tetramethylbenzidine was added. The test sample was judged to contain greater than or equal to 20 ng aflatoxins/g when, after exactly 1 min, no color was observed on the filter; when a blue or gray color developed, the test sample was judged to contain less than 20 ng aflatoxins/g. All collaborators correctly identified naturally contaminated corn and raw peanut positive test samples. No false positives were found for controls containing less than 2 ng aflatoxins/g. The correct responses for positive test samples spiked at levels of 10, 20, and greater than or equal to 30 ng aflatoxins/g (the ratio of B1:B2:G1 was 10:1:3) were 52, 86, and 96%, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Evaluation of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of cleanup for thin-layer chromatography of aflatoxin B1 in corn, peanuts, and peanut butter

A simple, rapid enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) was used to evaluate the performance of each step (extraction, filtration, solvent partition, and silica gel column chromatography) of a solvent-efficient thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) method which is undergoing interlaboratory collaborative study for the determination of aflatoxin B1 in corn, raw peanuts, and peanut butter. The apparent average recoveries using the ELISA method were about 30 to 50% higher than those using the TLC method if only the amount of B1 added to the samples was used in the calculations. After the cross-reaction of the antibody with other aflatoxins added to the samples was considered, the amounts recovered approached the levels of aflatoxins added in all 3 commodities tested. With no cleanup treatment, ELISA recoveries at aflatoxin B1 levels above 7.5 ng/g were 84, 79, and 103% for corn, raw peanuts, and peanut butter, respectively. The coefficients of variation were between 5.2 and 25.2%. With each cleanup step in the TLC method, ELISA detected a progressive decrease in recovery from 150.5 to 105.3% (before correction for the presence of other aflatoxins) or from 93.5 to 65.4% (after correction for other aflatoxins) of B1 added to the samples. The ELISA data support the conclusion obtained from previous studies that cleanup treatments were not necessary in the ELISA. When large amounts of other aflatoxins are present, an understanding of the cross-reactivity of antibody with other aflatoxins in the ELISA is essential for final interpretation of the data.     

Collaborative study of a screening method for the detection of aflatoxins in mixed feeds, other agricultural products, and foods.

A screening method for aflatoxins was collaboratively tested on 11 different agricultural and food products: white and yellow corn, peanuts, peanut butter, pistachio nuts, peanut meal, cottonseed meal, chicken, pig, and turkey starter rations, and dairy cattle feed. The method involves a rapid extraction and cleanup procedure followed by the detection of total aflatoxins (B1 + B2 + G1 + G2) as a fluorescent band on the Florisil layer of a Velasco-type minicolumn. The results of 32 collaborators from 10 different countries are presented. Samples containing 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 mug aflatoxins/kg were analyzed. Eighty-four per cent of the negative samples and 89% of the samples containing 10-25 mug total aflatoxins/kg were correctly identified. This method has been adopted as official first action for the detection of aflatoxins in corn, peanuts, peanut butter, peanut meal, cottonseed meal, mixed feeds, and pistachio nuts.     

Visual and semiquantitative spectrophotometric ELISA screening method for aflatoxin B1 in corn and peanut products: follow-up collaborative study

A joint AOAC/IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) interlaboratory study of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent screening assay (ELISA) for aflatoxins was conducted in laboratories in Canada, France, Japan, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Tunisia, and the United States. Twelve raw and roasted peanut and corn portions containing various concentrations of natural aflatoxins and supplemented when appropriate with aflatoxin B1 were distributed to participating laboratories for testing. The assay is based on competition between an enzyme-conjugated aflatoxin B1 and (free) aflatoxins in the test sample for aflatoxin-specific antibodies coated onto interior surfaces of microtiter wells. After a wash step to remove all unbound aflatoxins, a substrate added to each well is catalyzed from a colorless to a blue solution by any bound enzyme-conjugated aflatoxin B1 present. The intensity of the color decreases as the amount of free aflatoxin B1 in the test portion increases. Final determination of aflatoxin concentrations can be made by either visual comparison with standard solutions or spectrophotometric comparisons (at 650 nm) to knowns. Overall correlation was good between ELISA and thin-layer chromatographic results for corn and roasted peanut products, with 93 and 98% correct responses for visual and instrumental determinations, respectively. For instrumental determinations of aflatoxin in corn and roasted peanuts in the less than or equal to 20 ng/g range, the relative standard deviations for repeatability (RSDr) were 14.9 and 41.4%, respectively, and the relative standard deviations for reproducibility (RSDR) were 45.7 and 43.5%, respectively. For instrumental determination of greater than 20 ng/g, the respective RSDr and RSDR values were 19.4 and 52.7% for corn and 23.3 and 23.3% for roasted peanuts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for screening aflatoxin B1 in cottonseed products and mixed feed: collaborative study

A joint AOAC/IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) interlaboratory study of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent screening assay (ELISA) for aflatoxins was conducted in laboratories in Canada, France, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Tunisia, and the United States. Twenty-eight samples of raw and roasted peanuts, corn, whole cottonseed, cottonseed meal, ammoniated cottonseed meal, and poultry feed containing various quantities of natural aflatoxins and supplemented when appropriate with aflatoxin B1 were distributed to participating laboratories for testing. The assay is based on conjugation of pure aflatoxin B1 to an enzyme and the competition between this conjugate and (free) aflatoxins in the product for aflatoxin-specific antibodies coated onto microtiter well walls. After a wash step to remove all unbound aflatoxins, a substrate, added to each well, is catalyzed from a colorless to a green solution by any bound enzyme-conjugated aflatoxin B1 present. The intensity of the color decreases as the amount of free aflatoxin B1 in the product increases. Overall correlation was good between ELISA and thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) results for cottonseed products and mixed feed. Variable results were reported for corn and peanut product samples. Although some positive samples (greater than 15 ng/g) of cottonseed products and mixed feed were reported to contain less than 15 ng/g by visual determination, a review of data for absorbance measurements showed that the contamination level was close to the greater than or equal to 15 ng/g standard and would not have been reported as negative under routine screening.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Improved enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for aflatoxin B1 in agricultural commodities

An improved enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for aflatoxin B1 in cornmeal and peanut butter was developed. Aflatoxin B1 in cornmeal and peanut butter samples was extracted with 70% methanol in water containing 1% dimethylformamide diluted with assay buffer to a final concentration of 7.0% methanol, and directly subjected to an ELISA procedure that took less than 1 h for quantitative analysis and less than 30 min for screening tests. Analytical recoveries for 5-100 ppb B1 added to the cornmeal and peanut butter were 91 and 95.4%, respectively. The interwell and interassay coefficient of variation was 10% or less at the 20 ppb level and above. Agreement for B1 levels in more than 30 naturally contaminated corn, mixed feed, and peanut butter samples was excellent between the ELISA data and the data obtained from different independent laboratories using TLC or other analytical methods.     

International mycotoxin check sample program: Part II. Report on laboratory performance for determination of aflatoxin M1 in milk

A sample of aflatoxin M1-contaminated lyophilized cow's milk was analyzed by 80 laboratories in 30 countries. Sufficient data were obtained to permit a statistical comparison of the performance of laboratories using AOAC methods I and II and those using high performance liquid chromatography for quantitation. A significant difference was noted between means for laboratories using AOAC method I as opposed to those using HPLC methods. Overall reproducibility (between- plus within-laboratory precision) was best for laboratories using HPLC methods and poorest for those using AOAC method II.     

High pressure liquid chromatographic determination of aflatoxins in corn.

A high pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method is proposed for determining aflatoxins in corn. The sample is extracted with methanol-10% NaCl (4 + 1), pigments are precipitated with zinc acetate, and the extract is cleaned up on a small (2 g) silica gel column. Aflatoxins in the purified extract are resolved by normal phase HPLC on a microparticulate (10 micrometer) silica gel column with water-saturated chloroform-cyclohexane, acetonitrile solvent, and detected by fluorescence on a silica gel-packed flowcell. The method was compared with chloroform-water extraction of the official CB method on 15 samples of contaminated corn. In 5 of the 6 samples containing aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2, methanol-10% NaCl extracted more aflatoxin than did cloroform-water, as measured both by HPLC and by thin layer chromatography. In samples containing only B1 and B2, the 2 extraction solvents were virtually equivalent. Agreement was good between HPLC and TLC for each extraction solvent. Average recovery of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 added to yellow cornmeal at 3 levels was greater than 90%.     

Comparison of two immunochemical methods with thin-layer chromatographic methods for determination of aflatoxins

Three different methods were compared for the determination of total flatoxins in corn and peanuts naturally contaminated with aflatoxins and in corn, peanuts, cottonseed, peanut butter, and poultry feed spiked with aflatoxins B1, B2, and G1. The 3 methods were an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) screening test; a monoclonal antibody-affinity column-solid-phase separation method; and the AOAC official thin-layer chromatography (TLC) methods for all except poultry feed, for which Shannon's TLC method for mixed feed was used. The ELISA test is designed to provide only positive results for total aflatoxins at greater than or equal to 20 ng/g or negative results at less than 20 ng/g. The affinity column separation is coupled with either bromination solution fluorometry to estimate total aflatoxins or liquid chromatography (LC) to quantitate individual aflatoxins. Fluorodensitometry was used to determine aflatoxins in commodities analyzed by the TLC methods. The LC and TLC results were in good agreement for all the analyses. The results for the affinity column using bromination solution fluorometry were similar except those for cottonseed, which were about 60% higher. The ELISA screening method correctly identified naturally contaminated corn and peanut positive samples. No false positives were found for controls. The correct response for spiked corn, raw peanuts, peanut butter, and cottonseed at greater than or equal to 20 ng aflatoxins/g was about 90%. The correct response for spiked poultry feed at greater than or equal to 20 ng aflatoxins/g was about 50%.     

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of aflatoxin B1 in naturally contaminated corn and cottonseed

Naturally contaminated corn and cottonseed samples were screened for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) by a direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Samples were blended 5 min in an extraction solvent of methanol-water-dimethylformamide (70 + 29 + 1) and filtered. Filtrates were assayed by direct competition between AFB1 in the corn and cottonseed samples and AFB1-peroxidase conjugate for binding to specific antibody adsorbed to a solid phase microtiter plate. Standard curves prepared using the extract of AFB1-free corn and cottonseed samples, and extraction solvent only, showed negligible interference by the sample extract in the performance of ELISA. The AFB1 content in corn and dehulled cottonseed samples as determined by ELISA ranged from 7 to 422 micrograms/kg and 7 to 3,258 micrograms/kg, respectively. When ELISA estimates of AFB1 in corn were compared with values obtained by thin layer chromatography (CB method), the correlation coefficient (n = 10) was 0.95. Average interassay and subsample coefficients of variation for ELISA in corn were 21.4 and 22.0%, respectively. When ELISA estimates of AFB1 in cottonseed were compared with values obtained by liquid chromatography (Pons method), the correlation coefficient (n = 15) was 0.96. Using this ELISA, 36 duplicate sample extracts can be screened for AFB1 in less than 2 h.     

Mold occurrence and aflatoxin B(1) and fumonisin B(1) determination in corn samples in Venezuela

Fumonisins are mycotoxins produced mainly by Fusarium moniliforme and Fusarium proliferatum, which have been associated with several animal and human diseases. Aflatoxins are hepatotoxic, mutagenic, and teratogenic metabolites produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Both have been reported at high levels in corn. This study was pursued to determine mold, aflatoxin B(1) (AFTB(1)), and fumonisin B(1) (FB(1)) levels in white and yellow corn. Mold levels were determined using potato dextrose agar and identification of the main genus of molds present in corn, AFTB(1) levels by immunoaffinity chromatography, and FB(1) levels by a Bond-Elut SAX cartridge and HPLC. AFTB(1) an     

Analysis of xanthophylls in corn by HPLC

An HPLC method was developed using the C-30 carotenoid column to separate and identify the major xanthophylls in corn (lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-cryptoxanthin). A photodiode array detector and a mobile phase consisting of methyl tert-butyl ether/methanol/water was used. All three xanthophylls eluted in less than 25 min. Yellow dent corn had a total xanthophyll content of 21.97 microg/g with lutein content of 15.7 microg/g, zeaxanthin content of 5.7 microg/g, and beta-cryptoxanthin of 0.57 microg/g. Commercial corn gluten meal had a 7 times higher concentration of xanthophylls (145 microg/g), and deoiled corn contained 18 microg/g, indicating that the xanthophylls are probably bound to the zein fraction of corn proteins.     

生物炭及炭基肥改良棕壤理化性状及提高花生产量的作用

【目的】炭基复合肥是生物炭农用的另一种方式,生物炭作为土壤改良剂对土壤改良研究的报道较多,但大多为短期培养或模拟试验。目前更缺乏生物炭与传统土壤培肥方式的比较研究。本研究旨在通过4年的田间微区定位试验,开展生物炭及炭基复合肥对棕壤理化性质及花生产量的影响研究,以期为生物炭的培肥改土及合理农用提供理论依据。【方法】定位试验于2009年开始连续4年进行了花生微区田间试验(2 m~2)。试验设4个处理分别为秸秆还田+NPK(CS)、施用猪厩肥+NPK(PMC)、生物炭+NPK(BIO)和基于生物炭的炭基复合肥(BF)所有处理均为等氮磷钾养分,BIO处理与PMC处理为等碳量,BIO处理相当于CS处理所施用的玉米秸秆量制备得到的生物炭量,BF处理碳含量低于BIO碳含量每个处理重复3次,随机排列。分析试验前和2012年收获后土壤理化性质,比较各处理4年的花生产量。【结果】连续施用4年后,与试验前相比,BIO处理的土壤有机碳提高了27.6%全氮含量提高了75.6%,显著高于其他各处理,土壤pH提高了0.14个单位,显著高于CS处理,与PMC处理相近;土壤碱解氮、速效磷、速效钾和CEC值与CS或PMC处理相近;BIO处理的土壤毛管孔隙度和田间持水量显著高于其他处理容重和土壤总孔隙度与CS和PMC处理差异不显著;4年中花生产量均居首位,从3198.5 kg/hm~2提高到4818.0 kg/hm~2,但与PMC处理差异不显著。连续施用4年后,BF处理土壤pH较试验前提高了0.57个单位显著高于其他各处理,优势显著;土壤有机碳和全氮含量较试验前分别提高了4.4%和27.9%显著低于BIO处理对土壤物理性质的调节作用也不及BIO处理其他指标差异不显著但总体上与CS或PMC处理相近;BF处理的花生产量在试验的前3年与BIO处理差异不显著,第4年较BIO处理降低了317.1 kg/hm2,差异显著介于PMC和CS处理之间。【结论】各处理作物产量随施用年限增加而提高。生物炭和炭基复合肥对土壤的理化性质的改良作用与秸秆还田和施用猪厩肥相近,生物炭在提高土壤有机碳和全氮含量方面,炭基复合肥在改善土壤pH方面优势突出对作物具有持续增产作用。     

生物炭提高花生干物质与养分利用的优势研究

【目的】 以秸秆为原料生产生物炭可用于改良土壤和提高养分利用率,其与秸秆直接还田以及传统的制作堆肥后还田相比是否具有优势需要用试验来验证,本研究可为生物炭的高效利用提供理论依据。 【方法】 以传统猪厩肥和秸秆直接还田为对照,连续进行了8年的花生田间微区 (2 m2) 试验。在氮磷钾总投入量相等的条件下,共设4个处理,分别为秸秆还田 (CS)、猪厩肥 (PMC)、生物炭 (BIO) 和基于生物炭的炭基花生专用肥 (BF),每个处理重复3次,随机区组排列。试验于2016年在花生苗期、开花下针期、结荚期和饱果成熟期进行采样,测定植株茎叶、根和荚果的干物质和氮磷钾养分积累量,并计算对应的分配情况,探讨其对花生产量的影响。 【结果】 生物炭处理的花生产量显著高于其它处理,达到7231.7 kg/hm2;生物炭复合肥和猪厩肥处理则相对较低,分别是生物炭处理的82.4%和83.8%,秸秆处理产量最低,为5623.9 kg/hm2。猪厩肥处理的出仁率显著高于其它处理。生育前期各处理的干物质和养分主要在茎叶中积累,从结荚期开始逐渐向荚果中转移。与对照处理相比,复合肥处理的干物质和氮磷钾养分整株积累量在各时期均较高,尤其在结荚期以前保持了良好的荚果干物质和养分分配系数;生物炭处理则至饱果成熟期时呈现出明显优势,干物质积累量达到6295.0 kg/hm2,分别高出专用肥、秸秆和猪厩肥处理43.1%、36.1%和50.8%,茎叶分配比例高达34.5%,氮、磷、钾积累量持续增长至236.4 kg/hm2、 21.7 kg/hm2、77.8 kg/hm2,显著高于其它处理,但此时期荚果的氮、钾分配系数仅有0.83和0.52,低于对照处理(CS、PMC处理) 0.02～0.03和0.15～0.21。 【结论】 在氮磷钾养分投入量相等、不考虑有机碳投入量的前提下,施用生物炭、炭基复合肥和猪厩肥效果均显著好于秸秆直接还田;生物炭可显著提高花生整株的干物质量和氮磷钾积累量,特别是提高生育后期的干物质和养分分配量,促进产量的提高,对花生高产增效有良好的促进作用;炭基复合肥在花生进入结荚期后,对花生干物质及养分积累分配的促进作用减弱,效果与施用猪厩肥相当。因此,在本试验条件下,生物炭直接施用具有维持其养分长期稳定释放,提高花生产量和肥料养分利用率的作用。      

Carotenoid bioaccessibility from whole grain and degermed maize meal products

Although yellow maize (Zea mays) fractions and products are a source of dietary carotenoids, only limited information is available on the bioavailability of these pigments from maize-based foods. To better understand the distribution and bioavailability of carotenoid pigments from yellow maize (Z. mays) products, commercial milled maize fractions were screened for carotenoid content as were model foods including extruded puff, bread, and wet cooked porridge. Carotenoid content of maize fractions ranged from a low of 1.77-6.50 mg/kg in yellow maize bran (YCB) to 12.04-17.94 mg/kg in yellow corn meal (YCM). Lutein and zeaxanthin were major carotenoid species in maize milled fractions, accounting for approximately 70% of total carotenoid content. Following screening, carotenoid bioaccessibility was assessed from model foods using a simulated three-stage in vitro digestion process designed to measure transfer of carotenoids from the food matrix to bile salt lipid micelles (micellarization). Micellarization efficiency of xanthophylls was similar from YCM extruded puff and bread (63 and 69%), but lower from YCM porridge (48%). Xanthophyll micellarization from whole yellow corn meal (WYCM) products was highest in bread (85%) and similar in extruded puff and porridge (46 and 47%). For extruded puffs and breads, beta-carotene micellarization was 10-23%, but higher in porridge (40-63%), indicating that wet cooking may positively influence bioaccessibility of apolar carotenes. The results suggest that maize-based food products are good dietary sources of bioaccessible carotenoids and that specific food preparation methods may influence the relative bioaccessibility of individual carotenoid species.     

Comparison of extraction buffers for the detection of fumonisin B(1) in corn by immunoassay and high-performance liquid chromatography

The Associatian of Official Analytical Chemists approved method for quantification of fumonisin B(1) (FB(1)) in corn meal or corn-based food products includes extraction into methanol (MeOH)/water (3:1, v/v). Disposal of the extraction medium can pose safety and environmental problems. To secure a rapid and inexpensive screen for FB(1) contamination, a sensitive competitive ELISA using a rabbit polyclonal antibody was developed. This assay was used in a comparative study measuring the extraction efficiency of FB(1) in aqueous or organic solvent buffers using 16 field corn samples. An aqueous phosphate buffer was found to be suitable for extracting FB(1), thus eliminating the need for organic solvents. HPLC and ELISA determinations compared well in fortified samples at known concentrations between 1 and 50 microg/mL of extract. Overestimation at levels >50 microg/mL were common. The characteristics and application of the ELISA for screening purposes are discussed.     

Analyst performance with aflatoxin methods as determined from AOCS Smalley Check Sample Program: short-term and long-term views

The International Smalley Aflatoxin Check Sample Program of the American Oil Chemists' Society has offered check sample series for aflatoxins in peanut meal, cottonseed meal, and corn meal since 1976, and an aflatoxin M in raw milk series since 1980. This paper provides the computed mean of all analysts' results and between-laboratory precision for each of the samples in each of the check sample series distributed in 1980-81 and 1981-82. In addition, a comparison is made of the relative measurement and analytical accuracy of those analysts who have participated in the peanut meal series for at least 4 years and in the cottonseed and corn meal series since their inception (6 years). For this comparison, each analyst's result for each sample was calculated as a percent of the mean for all analysts for that sample; these values were then averaged for each analyst over all the meal samples in all the series for each meal type in which the analyst had participated, to obtain an overall measure of analytical accuracy. A similar calculation was made using the reported results for the defined solution of aflatoxins included in each series, to obtain an overall measure of measurement accuracy. An evaluation of the meal series results for the past 2 seasons shows an overall within-laboratory precision in the range reported for the collaborative studies by which the methods were validated; the between-laboratory precision, although improved over past years, is still far from the collaborative study range. The precision data for the aflatoxin solution included in each series indicate this bias could be related, in large part, to the reference standards used.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)