Available tests

As the name suggests, when more than one mycotoxin is involved, even at low levels of contamination the two toxins will increase the damage to the animal. Normally, the test methods of choice when contemplating synergistic mycotoxins are high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Though HPLC and LC/MS are the most accurate for this purpose, some rapid tests have also been commercially developed to detect more than one mycotoxin.

The third issue is masked mycotoxins. A masked mycotoxin is a mycotoxin where the plant, or sometimes an animal’s digestive system, modifies the toxin as a defense mechanism for itself. Once modified by a plant, it is hard for many tests to accurately measure the number of mycotoxins in a sample. The simplest solution for this is sample preparation. Through sample preparation, the mycotoxin is released from the masked form. By their nature, rapid tests normally do not include sample preparation so the method of choice concerning masked toxins is HPLC and LC/MS.

ELISA tests work by using specific antibodies that are coated onto a microtiter plate. These antibodies will bind specifically to the target mycotoxin if it is present in the sample. After washing away any unbound material, a second set of antibodies is added which are linked to an enzyme. This enzyme will produce a signal if it binds to the previously bound mycotoxin-antibody complex. The signal is then detected by adding a substrate that will produce a color change or fluorescence that can be measured by a plate reader.

One of the main advantages of ELISA testing is that it is easy to perform, and does not require specialized equipment or trained personnel. It is also a very sensitive method, capable of detecting very low levels of mycotoxins in a sample.

However, ELISA is only capable of detecting specific mycotoxins and cannot detect a broad range of toxins simultaneously. Additionally, false positives or false negatives can occur due to cross-reactivity with other compounds or matrix interference, respectively. Therefore, ELISA testing should always be accompanied by proper sample collection and preparation to ensure accurate results.

Liquid chromatography separates the different components of a sample based on their chemical properties, while mass spectrometry identifies and quantifies the individual components by measuring their mass and charge. By combining these two techniques, LC-MS is able to accurately detect and quantify mycotoxins in complex matrices such as food and feed samples.

LC-MS is a highly accurate and reliable method for mycotoxin analysis, with the ability to detect very low levels of toxins. It also has the advantage of being able to detect a broad range of mycotoxins simultaneously, unlike other methods such as ELISA. However, it is a more complex and expensive technique that requires specialized equipment and trained personnel. Despite these limitations, LC-MS remains a valuable tool for the analysis of mycotoxins in agricultural products.