Aflatoxin Tests
Maintaining a reliable aflatoxin testing procedure is essential to protecting our supply chain. Charm Sciences offers accurate and fast testing solutions to analyze aflatoxin contamination.
Learn more about our various aflatoxin tests below, or use our Mycotoxin Search Tool to find the right test for you.
What Are Aflatoxins?
Aflatoxins are toxic metabolites produced by potent fungal toxins and are highly toxic even in low concentrations.
Aflatoxins are carcinogenic mycotoxins, and countries worldwide require testing and regulation for them.
Commonly found in warm and humid regions of the world, aflatoxin-producing fungi can contaminate crops in the field, at harvest, and during storage—making aflatoxin one of the most widespread and dangerous mycotoxins. The primary fungi that produce aflatoxins are Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Aflatoxins are commonly found in barley, corn, cottonseed, DDGS, millet, oats, peanuts, rice, rye sorghum, sunflower seeds, soybeans, and wheat, as well as other commodities.
Because aflatoxins are found in so many commodities, exposure can be widespread. When contaminated food is processed, aflatoxins enter our food supply. Aflatoxins are found in both pet and human foods, as well as in feedstocks for agricultural animals. Even animals who consume aflatoxin-contaminated feed can pass aflatoxin into eggs, milk products, and meat.
What Are the Harmful Effects of Aflatoxin?
Aflatoxins are some of the most carcinogenic substances.
Aflatoxin exposure leads to an increased risk of liver cancer in humans. Children are especially susceptible to aflatoxin exposure, putting them at risk for delayed development, stunted growth, liver damage, and liver cancer. While adults have a higher tolerance to aflatoxin exposure, they remain at risk for chronic low-level contact.
All animal species can be affected by aflatoxin exposure. Aflatoxins cause various diseases in both domestic animals and livestock throughout the world. The animals at most risk of having severe problems with aflatoxins are cats, dogs, pigs, poultry, and fish.
In animals, Aflatoxins cause decreased milk and egg production, immunity suppression, recurrent infection, embryotoxicity, and liver damage. Aflatoxicosis symptoms in animals include jaundice, anemia, reduced reproduction, and gastrointestinal dysfunction.
Why Should You Test for Aflatoxins?
Regulatory compliance calls for stringent aflatoxin detection in countries around the world.
Regulations exist to monitor and protect the human food and animal feed supply. These regulations set the limits for contaminants in commodities and detail the methods for control and compliance with food laws. While the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) monitors crops for aflatoxin, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) routinely audits products to ensure they are under maximum allowable levels.
In addition to food-safety compliance, knowing how to test for aflatoxins with consistency and accuracy properly can help producers and suppliers ensure a premium product, resulting in more profitable outcomes.
Who Should Conduct Aflatoxin Testing?
Like many other mycotoxins, aflatoxins pose risks to human food, pet food, and animal feed. The dangers and prevalence of aflatoxins, as well as regulatory compliance, require farmers, grain handlers, grain mills, and suppliers to remain vigilant and well-informed about aflatoxin testing and mycotoxin risk management. To help prevent contamination, testing for aflatoxin at every stage in feed and grain supply is recommended.
Why Choose Charm Sciences for Aflatoxin Testing?
The Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) maintains its core initiative with strict testing standards. Charm Sciences is FGIS’s preferred supplier holding the contract for aflatoxin testing.
We offer FGIS-Approved test kits to help inspectors, processors, and producers rapidly and accurately detect aflatoxin.
Do you have questions about aflatoxin testing procedures? Contact us today to learn more about our aflatoxin test kits.
Aflatoxin Tests Available
AFQ-WETS3 Test
The ROSA AFQ-WETS3 Aflatoxin Quantitative Test detects aflatoxin in corn in 3 minutes with water extraction technology.
AFQ-WETS5 Test
The ROSA AFQ-WETS5 Aflatoxin Quantitative Test detects aflatoxin in feed and grain in 5 minutes with water extraction technology.
AFQ-FAST Test
The ROSA FAST Aflatoxin Quantitative Test detects aflatoxin in three or five minutes using 70% methanol.
SLAFM – Charm SL Aflatoxin M1 Test
The Charm SL Aflatoxin M1 Test lets you detect Aflatoxin M1 in cow milk visually.
SLAFMQ – Charm SL Aflatoxin M1 Quantitative Test
The Charm SL Aflatoxin M1 Quantitative Test detects Aflatoxin M1 in cow milk at the US FDA action level.
MRLAFMQ – Charm MRL Aflatoxin M1 Quantitative Test
The Charm MRL Aflatoxin M1 Quantitative Test detects Aflatoxin M1 in cow milk at the EU MRL level.