News Archive
 February 2007
New Application Notes for RBR Products
Ochratoxin in Liquorice

The introduction of ochratoxin A legislation for commodities such as beer, cocoa, non-vine dried fruits, liquorice, offal and blood products is currently under discussion by the EU Commission and the following levels have so far been proposed. In light of this new information, there is a need for methods which are suitable to meet the proposed limits.
Products

Ochratoxin A
(µg/kg or ppb)
Dried Figs
8 - 10
Dried fruit other than dried vine fruit and dried figs
1- 2
Cocoa products - consumer products: cocoa powder, powdered chocolate, chocolate in powder, drinking chocolate, sweetened cocoa (powder), chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate
0.5 - 2
Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
Liquorice root, ingredient for herbal infusion
Liquorice extract, for use in liquorice confectionery

5 - 20
10 - 50
Edible offal and products containing edible offal
Blood products (such as black pudding, sausages)
5 - 15
2 - 15
Liqueur wines

2 - 4

In preparation for these recommendations, a new method has been developed for the analysis of ochratoxin A in liquorice using Ochraprep immunoaffinity columns prior to analysis by HPLC. The method uses 1% sodium bicarbonate /deionised water to extract the toxin and then the column is washed with 10% tween 20 /PBS to remove pigments prior to elution. The toxin is then eluted from the column using acidified methanol and is injected onto the HPLC. The chromatograms produced using this method were found to be extremely clean considering the complexity and the colour of this sample matrix.Recoveries obtained were in excess of 75% confirming that the method is suitable to meet the proposed legislative limits.

In addition to the new method for liquorice, work is currently being carried out to produce application notes for other complex commodities using different test kits in our range. Method development is currently underway for the analysis of aflatoxins in cocoa using AFLACARD®, T2 and HT-2 in oats using EASI-EXTRACT® T2 and HT-2 and for Vitamin B12 using EASI-EXTRACT® Vitamin B12 columns for a variety of dairy products. So far the results with these methods look promising and the completed application notes should be available shortly.


For further information please contact RBR.
FAPAS Study on Vitamin B12

In preparation for these recommendations, a new method has been developed for the analysis of ochratoxin A in liquorice using Ochraprep immunoaffinity columns prior to analysis by HPLC. The method uses 1% sodium bicarbonate /deionised water to extract the toxin and then the column is washed with 10% tween 20 /PBS to remove pigments prior to elution. The toxin is then eluted from the column using acidified methanol and is injected onto the HPLC. The chromatograms produced using this method were found to be extremely clean considering the complexity and the colour of this sample matrix.Recoveries obtained were in excess of 75% confirming that the method is suitable to meet the proposed legislative limits.

In addition to the new method for liquorice, work is currently being carried out to produce application notes for other complex commodities using different test kits in our range. Method development is currently underway for the analysis of aflatoxins in cocoa using AFLACARD®, T2 and HT-2 in oats using EASI-EXTRACT® T2 and HT-2 and for Vitamin B12 using EASI-EXTRACT® Vitamin B12 columns for a variety of dairy products. So far the results with these methods look promising and the completed application notes should be available shortly.


For further information please contact RBR.



© 2002 R-Biopharm Rhone Ltd