The Waters business said the USDA-GIPSA (Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration) certification is for its Afla-V AQUA strip test.
Results are displayed on the digital screen in five minutes (following extraction and sample preparation) with a range of 5-300 parts per billion for total aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1 and G2).
Aflatoxins are naturally occurring chemical by-products of mold species, which are natural inhabitants of crop soils. Aflatoxin B1 is classified as a Group I carcinogen and is highly toxic even at very low concentrations.
Traditional methods for detection of aflatoxins require the use of methanol, ethanol and other solvents for the extraction step, which require specialized and often costly shipping, handling and storage facilities.
The Afla-V AQUA strip test replaces chemical solvents with a water-based extraction solution which is safe for use in the field, process or laboratory environment.
Marjorie Radlo-Zandi, managing director at Vicam, said aflatoxin detection is critical to global food cultivation and trade.
“USDA-GIPSA approval provides official verification of method performance, giving our customers even greater confidence in their aflatoxin testing data.”