Peanut Meal Reference Material for Aflatoxin Analysis available again

Defatted peanut meal certified for the aflatoxin B1 content (BCR-262R) is available from IRMM again. This certified reference material for mycotoxin analysis is based on an earlier material (BCR-262) and provides improved homogeneity characteristics.

The BCR-262R is intended to be used as a blank for the following purposes: to establish recovery for methods at various levels of contamination, through spiking experiments, to check the specificity of the method by providing typical blank matrix, and to determine limits of detection and quantification of methods of analysis.

Aflatoxins, produced by fungi, are natural contaminants of food and feed and at least 13 different types are produced in nature. They are remarkably potent, with the ability to cause disease even when ingested in minute amounts. Aflatoxin B1 is considered the most toxic and is produced mainly by two species, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Aflatoxin B1 is potentially hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic. It has been proven to be mutagenic, teratogenic, and that it causes immunosuppression in animals.

European legislation precisely defines the permitted levels of presence of mycotoxins in food and feed commodities. Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 defines maximum levels for aflatoxin B1 in food and Directive 32/2002/EC for animal feed.

Source: Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM)