Transcript Robert C. Baker Head of Food Safety, Mars Incorporated

“Managing Aflatoxin Risks From Farm
To Fork”
4TH Dubai International Food Safety
Conference
Robert C. Baker
Head of Food Safety, Mars Incorporated
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26 February 2009
Objectives
• Provide basic awareness of
Aflatoxin and potential risks in
the Food Chain
• Provide a framework for
managing Aflatoxin risks
• Provide a means of monitoring
and verifying the effectiveness
of aflatoxin management processes
• In 30 minutes…..
2
Agenda
• What are aflatoxins?
• At risk materials
• Factors influencing
aflatoxin production
• Methods for managing
aflatoxin risks
• Methods of aflatoxin
detection
• Summary
3
OH
O
CH3
H
O
Mycotoxins
HO
O
Zearalenone
• Secondary fungal metabolites that exert
toxic effects on animals and human beings.
H3C
OH
O
O
O
OH
HO
• More than 300 secondary metabolites have
been described but only thirty really exert
toxic effects.
CH3
Deoxynivalenol
O
O
O
•Polyacetates
The chemical : structure
of mycotoxin
is ochratoxins
very
aflatoxins,
citrinine,
OMe
O
O
diverse
patulin, zearalenone, fumonisins,
Aflatoxin B1
Terpenes : trichothecenes (sesqui), tremorgenes,
HOOC
HOOC
Peptides :
ergotamin (alcaloïdes), tryptoquivaline,.
O O
OH OH
CH
Piperazines : sporidesmin, gliotoxin, roquefortine,..
HC
CH O CH OH
NH
3
3
COOH
O
OH
3
O
HOOC
O
N
H
H
O
3
2
HOOC
Fumonisin B1
Cl
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Ochratoxin A
Aflatoxins
• Four aflatoxins (order of toxicity):
• B1 >G1 > B2 > G2
• Other aflatoxins occur as metabolic
products (e.g., aflatoxin M1 in milk)
Aflatoxin B1
• Highly toxic
• Aflatoxins are among the most toxic
naturally occurring substances known.
• Carcinogenic, hepatotoxic, mutagenic
and teratogenic
• All animal species affected by
aflatoxins.
• Can be passed through food chain
(e.g., milk of animals which are fed
contaminated feed).
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• Heat Stable
• Withstand typical food processing
temperatures
Aflatoxin production
Aflatoxin is produced by species of
the fungus Aspergillus:
• Aspergillus flavus
•aw range: 0.80-0.99
•Temperature range: 10-43oC
• Aspergillus parasiticus
•aw range: 0.83-0.99
•Temperature range: 10-43oC
Toxins can be produced over a wide
temperature range: 15-37oC
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Aflatoxin associated alerts
• 2007 - Peanuts – Saudi Arabia
• 2006 - Dog food – US (23 dog deaths)
• 2004 - Maize – Kenya (125 deaths)
• 2004 - Paprika – Hungary
• 2001 – Rice – China
**THESE ARE TAKEN FROM ALERTS via PROMED
ARCHIVE**
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RASFF Aflatoxin reports
• RASFF: Rapid Alert System for Food
and Feed.
• Aflatoxin most significant
mycotoxin.
(Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) Annual Report, 2005)
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Aflatoxin associated
notifications (EU)
In 2005 : 947 aflatoxin notifications
•498 pistachio nuts : (92% from Iran)
•219 peanuts and derived products : (36% from
China, 15% Brazil)
•64 hazelnuts and derived products : (83% from
Turkey)
•33 almonds and derived products : (85% from US)
•48 dried figs : (96% from Turkey)
•13 melon seeds : (77% from Nigeria)
•48 herbs and spices : (56% from India)
**RASFF alerts 2005 – border inspection etc
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– Europe**
(Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) Annual Report, 2005)
Legal limits – raw materials
Material
Limit
Reference
Human Raws
Nuts & dried fruits for
direct consumption or
ingredient use.
Total
Aflatoxin: Commission
4 ppb
Regulation (EC)
Aflatoxin B1: 2
1881/2006
ppb
Nuts & dried fruits to be
subjected physical
treatment prior to
consumption.
Total Aflatoxin : Commission
10 ppb
Regulation (EC)
Aflatoxin B1: 5
1881/2006
ppb
All Cereals and derived
products.
Total
Aflatoxin: Commission
4 ppb
Regulation (EC)
Aflatoxin B1: 2
1881/2006
ppb
Spices (inc. chilli
powder, nutmeg, ginger
etc).
Total Aflatoxin : Commission
10 ppb
Regulation (EC)
Aflatoxin B1: 5
1881/2006
ppb
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Materials at risk of aflatoxin
contamination
Crops which are frequently
affected include:
•Cereals (barley, wheat, oats, maize,
rice, sorghum, dried grains).
•Nuts (peanuts, walnuts,
almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil
nuts, pistachio nuts, pecans,
macadamia nuts, pine nuts).
•Spices (chilli peppers, black
pepper, coriander, tumeric,
ginger)
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•Animal products from which
contaminated feeds were
consumed (i.e. milk & dairy
products. protein meals)
Factors influencing aflatoxin
production
Need to understand risks
Step and evaluate every y
In the field
• Agricultural Practices
• Climate (humidity /
temperature / rainfall)
• Crop variety
• Treatments (insects
and fungi)
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At harvesting
• Maturity at harvesting
• Moisture
• Disease State
During storage
• Temperature
• Moisture
• Insect treatment
During
transformation &
process
• Cleaning
• Temperature
• Process
Aflatoxin management
• Starts with a comprehensive “Material
Quality Management Program”
• Needs to be risk based and cover the
entire pipeline
• Risk assessments are not static and
need to be performed for each material
and harvested crop.
•In the Field (GAP, climate & crop
monitoring)
•During Harvest / Storage (moisture
control, interim storage conditions)
•Inbound acceptance (specifications)
•Storage (silo design / management,
13 conditioning, cleaning, monitoring)
•Finished Product (specifications and
Aflatoxin management: In the
Field
• Farm geography and climate.
Drought during
pollination
• Crop species and variety.
• Regional crop risk
assessment via industry,
government or academic
sources, where available, on
a seasonal basis.
• Good Agricultural Practices
(GAP).
• Biocontrol systems
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Monsoon after
Drought
Aflatoxin management: Harvest
• Harvest weather conditions.
• Harvesting at appropriate
moisture content (max.
moisture 13%).
• Harvest maturity.
• Interim storage of
harvested materials.
• Disease state of crop &
bushel weight.
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Aflatoxin management: Inbound
• Robust sampling of inbound
raws:
•Risk Based
•Take into account that mycotoxin
contaminations are skewed and not
evenly distributed
•Stationary
bulk
loads
(flatbed
trucks, rail cars, and barges),
sampled using probes as approved by
GIPSA (GIPSA, Grain Sampling Procedures, Jan 2001).
•At least 10 incremental samples
taken
and
aggregated
into
one
sample.
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• Personnel must be trained on importance of
sampling
Truck Sampling Plan
Sample Points
A
B
A
B
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
Top of Truck
B
A
A
B
A
A
Two sets of samples, A and B.
B
A
Automatic Sampling (pneumatic)
Insert the probe and take a sample at the
top, middle and bottom of the truck at
sample point
Manual Sampling
Insert the probe to the bottom of the truck
x
x
x
x
x
x x x
x
x
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x
x
Sampling 20 samples from truck
10 first points combined as Group A
10 latter points combined as Group B
Sample A&B are individually ground for testing
x
x
x x x
x
•
•
•
•
Aflatoxin management: Storage
• Materials stored under
conditions to minimise mould
growth.
• Suitable material (stainless
steel, plastic).
• Smooth/flat walled bins &
silos.
• Vessels designed to prevent
moisture and pest ingress.
• Vessels shall be designed such
that they empty completely.
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Aflatoxin management: Finished
Product
• Product designs and
specifications must take
into account legal and
material risks
• Solid understanding of
distribution pipeline and
potential for temperature
shock
• Finished product testing
is a valid means of
verifying “Front End” risk
management processes.
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• Mycotoxin binders ???
Methods of aflatoxin detection:
HPLC
• Gold-standard for mycotoxin
detection.
• Reverse phase HPLC used most
widely.
• Can be automated.
• Method must to be validated for
specific material and toxin.
• Operator needs to be well trained.
• Participation in recognized
proficiency testing program Highly
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Recommended.
Methods of aflatoxin detection:
ELISA
• Rapid and reliable ‘screen’
for aflatoxin.
• Does not require specialised
equipment (like HPLC).
• Commercial ELISA kits
available for detection of
total aflatoxins.
• Easily trained to factory
personnel
• Must be validated for
specific material
• Comparable to HPLC in 4-40
ppb range
(Zheng et al, Mycopathologia; 2005).
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Methods of aflatoxin detection:
Black (UV) Light
• Not recommended
•Works through florescence of
contaminated kernels
•Florescence based on detection
of Kojic Acid not aflatoxin
•Kojic acid breaks down leading
to false “negative” results
•Issue greater in tropical
regions
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Summary
• Key Points in Aflatoxin Management
•A sound Material Quality Management
program is critical.
•Aflatoxin risk can change with every new
crop, growing location, supplier and /
or change along the pipeline.
•Effective sampling, validated methods
and trained personnel are required
•Be prepared for the unexpected….
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Thank You!!!
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