Food News

The number of recalls involving rice products is currently on the rise again – often triggered by aflatoxins and other mycotoxins. This trend highlights why risk-based sampling is crucial for assessing mycotoxin risks.

Mycotoxins: Risk due to uneven distribution

Mycotoxins such as aflatoxins are often not evenly distributed within raw materials. Instead, there may be locally elevated concentrations within individual batches. This lack of homogeneity makes it considerably more difficult to assess the entire batch reliably. Even established testing plans can overlook risks if sampling, sample size and testing frequency are not consistently designed on a risk-based approach. This makes it clear that recalls of rice products are not merely an isolated analytical problem.

Challenges for quality management

For mills and grain-processing businesses, this gives rise to key requirements in terms of quality management. Analytical testing can only assess what is actually examined. If the sample is not representative, this introduces a factor of uncertainty into the entire risk assessment. Standardised testing protocols reach their limits, particularly in the case of rare but critical contaminations. An unremarkable result therefore does not automatically rule out risks in the entire batch

The key is to adopt the right sampling strategy

From a laboratory perspective, the key challenge often lies not in the analysis itself, but in the upstream sampling process. The crucial factor is how well the sample reflects the actual characteristics of the entire batch. Particularly in the case of mycotoxins, the sampling strategy has a decisive influence on the quality of the risk assessment. A robust strategy must take into account the raw material, origin, batch size, risk profile and previous analysis results. Only in this way can test results be interpreted in a technically meaningful way.

Ways to improve safety

To enhance the reliability of analyses, risk-based and material-specific sampling strategies are becoming increasingly important. These include targeted incoming goods inspections, the analysis of trend data, and close coordination between quality management, production and the laboratory. Testing protocols must also take into account the particular heterogeneity of mycotoxin risks. This enables companies to assess risks more realistically and make more informed decisions regarding procurement and production. An effective testing strategy therefore combines analytical expertise, experience and structured risk assessment.

Conclusion:

Recalls of rice products highlight the gap between spot testing and actual batch safety. Particularly in the case of mycotoxins, a traditional testing approach alone is often insufficient to reliably assess risks. A sampling strategy tailored to the specific material and the actual risk is crucial.

YOUR PLUS: AGROLAB supports companies in developing suitable sampling and analysis concepts and in reliably classifying mycotoxin risks. This creates greater safety throughout the entire value chain.

Author: Sandro Zwigart, AGROLAB