Romer Labs has received Performance Tested Methods^SM (PTM) certification from the AOAC Research Institute for its quantitative AgraStrip® Pro Total Aflatoxin WATEX® test kit for corn and peanut paste.

ImagoAI’s Galaxy for Mycotoxins Test, which the company calls the “world’s fastest” with results provided in less than 30 seconds, has achieved Performance Tested Methods^SM (PTM) certification from AOAC International.

Aflatoxin-contaminated nuts and seeds dominated mycotoxin notifications made through the EU’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) between 2011 and 2021, according to a recent study.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA’s ARS) is looking into the antimicrobial properties of mushroom extracts and how they can enhance food safety against aflatoxin-producing fungus and bacteria.

A recent systematic review has raised concerns with the presence of unregulated harmful mycotoxins in foods, finding a total of 15 unregulated mycotoxins in 38 different combinations across 19 food categories worldwide.

Tracking environmental temperature changes for their impacts on food safety is increasingly important, as just a few degrees of change will shape how food risks develop and unfold, according to recent research.

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service are using a bioplastic coating to naturally shield seeds from Aspergillus, a type of fungi that produces aflatoxin. Exposure to aflatoxins is a food safety issue due to the compound’s carcinogenic and other harmful effects.

The European Commission has recently updated its import controls regulation to increase checks for aflatoxins, pesticides, and microbiological contaminants.

The EU experienced more food safety notifications through its online Rapid Alert System for Food and Food Network in 2021 than in years prior, with pesticides, food contact materials, and fraud highlighted in a Administrative Assistance and Cooperative Network report.

A recent study determined that ozone may be an effective way to reduce fungi and aflatoxin in nuts, although ozonation could affect the nutritional value of foods at long exposure times.