MycoTest · Development of fast antibody-based screening tests for the detection of harmful mycotoxins in food and feed
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2015-10-01 → 2018-03-31
- EU contribution
- €177,599
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Development of fast antibody-based screening tests for the detection of harmful mycotoxins in food and feed
MycoTest project aimed to tackle a serious food safety concern related to mycotoxin contamination of food and feed in Europe and beyond. The worldwide contamination of food and feed with mycotoxins is becoming an increasingly serious problem and it has been linked to climate change. Mycotoxins are chemical compounds produced by fungi, specifically by moulds. There are more than 300 different mycotoxins known to humans. Moulds can grow on different agricultural commodities on the field and also during storage. Food and feed made from products infected with moulds are no longer safe to consume because mycotoxins can cause a range of diseases in both humans and animals. In fact, the exposure to mycotoxins can be life-threatening; it is often toxic to a number of organs and may cause cancer. Even a small amount of these compounds, less than a breadcrumb, can be very dangerous. Mycotoxins can be found in food and feed that contain corn, wheat, oats, rice, peanuts, spices, coffee, milk and many others. In the European Union and other countries a lot of food testing is done to make sure you do not buy contaminated food. The food can be tested using special testing methods that allow detection of even smallest amounts of mycotoxins. The methods can be very sophisticated or very simple and they are all very important. Sophisticated methods generally provide more information on different mycotoxins present in food and they also give very accurate results. Simple screening methods, on the other hand, are fast, cost-effective and can be performed by a person with limited experience or even outside the laboratory. MycoTest project hosted by immunodiagnostics company EuroProxima in Arnhem, the Netherlands responded to this need of developing new and improved first “line of defence” tests – quick and simple screening methods that can be used for fast identification of mycotoxins in food. The aim of this project was to develop and commercialise simple enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for the detection of mycotoxins in food and feed and to construct a first multiplex flow-through rapid (FTR) test for the simultaneous detection of three mycotoxins in one food sample. The overall aim was to make our food safer by providing new and improved screening tools for the detection of mycotoxins in food. The project resulted in four new testing methods that are now offered to the end users such as food and feed processors, inspection agencies and research centers.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The contamination of food and feed with harmful fungal derived mycotoxins is a problem worldwide and worsening. Over 400 different mycotoxins are now known, some of them have been studied in great detail, while the data about toxicity and occurrence for many others are scarce. This information is required to determine the risk in relation to animal and human health and establish maximum permitted levels that do not pose any health concerns. The fast elimination of contaminated food and feed from the supply chain is crucial for the protection of human and animal health as many of these toxins can cause serious diseases both after acute and chronic exposure. The occurrence data cannot be provided without fast and reliable detection methods that allow quantification of these toxic contaminants. This research, therefore, is focused on delivering new fast antibody-based (ELISA) screening methods for the detection of three important mycotoxins: T-2/HT-2, ochratoxin A and sterigmatocystin and on the development of a first multiplex flow-through rapid (FTR) test for the simultaneous detection of mycotoxins in food and feed. These tests could be used by food and feed producers, importers and testing laboratories to assure food and feed safety on the European market. The researcher will work for two years with the food safety company EuroProxima (EP) in the Netherlands that will provide training and support of the development of the commercial analytical assays. The project will be also supported by the partner organisations - Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) at Queen's University Belfast (QUB) and RIKILT Wageningen UR (RIKILT) who will be hosting secondment phases in order to facilitate the work packages. This project aims to combine academic excellence with specialist SME know-how to work on a project with significant impact on public health and that offers a substantial commercial opportunity.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- R-BIOPHARM NEDERLAND B.V. · ArnhemCoordinatorNetherlands
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union