Aflatoxins are the best known group of mycotoxins produced as secondary metabolites by fungi, mainly by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, but to a smaller extent also by other strains. This origin is also where the name Aspergillus flavus toxin comes from. Aflatoxins can be produced on crops in the field or during storage of agricultural products, especially under warm conditions and high humidity. Unfortunately, these substances can persist long after the fungi have been killed and therewith contaminate foods. Most mycotoxins are stable compounds that are also not destroyed during food processing or cooking. 

Since they can easily enter the marketplace and be a hazard to public health it is important to develop effective analytical methods for the identification and quantification of mycotoxins. Governmental institutions and health protection agencies apply these methods on a large scale to control marketed food products and animal feed. In the food processing industry the same methods are used to check raw materials and products, in order to direct them to countries with an appropriate legislation.

The “AZURA® Aflatoxin System“ includes:

• AZURA Autosampler AS 6.1L for automatted sample injection
• AZURA Pump P 6.1L low pressure gradient pump with maximum pressure of 700 bar
• AZURA Column thermostat  CT 2.1 for column tempering and reproducible results
• Fluorescence detector RF-20A coupled to a photochemical postcolumn derivatization reactor for sensitive detection of aflatoxins 
• Sample preparation kit consisting of SPE cartridges and method protocol 
• Application description including method and analytical HPLC column

The system is controled with ClarityChrom® software. Additionally, a tablet PC with AZURA Mobile Control to monitor the system status and for direct control can be used.