Analysis of Mycotoxins and Plant Toxins

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of moulds, which already have toxic effects on vertebrates in the smallest quantities. Depending on specific substances and concentration, they are cancerogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic and immunosuppressive.

According to an estimate of FAO, roughly 25 % of the world's food production contains mycotoxins. The main source for mycotoxins entering the food chain are cereals, but many other food items such as fruits and nuts may be contaminated with mycotoxins as well. Out of the approximately 400 known species of mycotoxins, which belong to very different chemical compound classes, about 25 are counted as being relevant, due to their frequency in occurrence and their concentration.

Is your product toxicologically safe and in compliance with all legal requirements?
The Centre of Competence for Mycotoxin Analysis within the global Eurofins Group, offers the examination of a large number of mycotoxins in a great variety of food and feed.

Legal Bases and Guidelines

• Commission Regulation (EC) No 401/2006 (Probenahmeverfahren und Analysemethoden Mykotoxine)
• Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 (contaminants in foodstuffs)
• Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1940 (monitoring and maximum levels of ergot sclerotia)
• Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/239 (maximum levels of tropane alkaloids in certain cereal-based foods)
• 2013/165/EU: Commission Recommendation (presence of T-2 and HT-2 toxin in cereals and cereal products)
• 2012/154/EU: Commission Recommendation (monitoring of the presence of ergot alkaloids in feed and food)
• Commission Recommendation (EU) 2015/976 (monitoring of the presence of tropane alkaloids in food )
• Directive 2002/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (undesirable substances in animal feed)
• 2006/576/EU: Commission Recommendation

Membership and Approvals of Individual Eurofins Laboratories^(*)

• Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL), working group §64 LFGB mycotoxins

Flyer and Brochures

• Mycotoxins & Biotoxins
• Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids
• Tropane Alkaloids

Other Interesting Pages

^(*)Find more details about memberships of our individual laboratories at www.eurofins.de/food-analysis/laboratories