**7. Conclusions and analysis in resource-limited settings**

All components of the food supply chain can become contaminated with aflatoxins and other mycotoxins. For food to meet safety standards, and for the development of mitigation strategies, determination of the degree of contamination is required. Analytical procedures for aflatoxin detection and quantification remain central to resolving this important food and feed safety issues. The many issues surrounding robust mycotoxin analysis have been addressed in a number of books [58–61] that the interested reader may wish to consult.

Since the discovery of aflatoxins, there has been a huge international effort to develop appropriate analytical procedures. However, all techniques have had to overcome a number of significant problems, including:


As is apparent in this chapter, there are a plethora of approaches, both quantitative and qualitative, for aflatoxin analysis that overcame these problems. The advantages and disadvantages of the different analytical approaches are listed in Appendix 1 and examples of biosensor platforms for mycotoxin detection and their performance in terms of limit of detection is given in Appendix 2. Although, the conventional analytical techniques, particularly HPLC linked to the mass spectrometer or fluorescent detectors are indispensable to confirm the quantities of contamination and for determining the chemical identity of the various groups of mycotoxins, equipment is very expensive and there are ongoing instrument maintenance and solvent costs, and specially trained analysts are required. However, these techniques do not apply to resource-limited settings. The initial technique used for aflatoxin analysis was TLC, and it is still used in many laboratories, especially in developing countries, as it does not require expensive laboratory equipment.

The development of screening methods that provide rapid, low-cost analysis of large number of samples is required for food surveillance, particularly in low-income countries. For the most part, screening methods are specific, sensitive, and relatively simple to operate. There is also a need in low-income rural communities for rapid screening methods, where an electrical supply is often unavailable [62]. ELISAs and dipstick/lateral flow devices are simple to operate and are used widely in developing countries. However, before use, operators need to be confident that the assay kit is "fit for purpose," and is appropriate for the commodity matrix to be tested [62]. If the assay kit is not valid for the commodity tested, cross-reactivity may occur and the number of the false positive sample will increase. There are increasing efforts to develop multi-toxin screening assays, as aflatoxin is often found in association with other mycotoxins, including fumonisins and deoxynivalenol [6]. This information is

*Aflatoxin and Mycotoxin Analysis: An Overview Including Options for Resource-limited… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106834*

important, as it is essential to know the extent of toxin exposure so the appropriate public health and mitigation steps can be undertaken. Finally, it is very important that the results obtained in the field with rapid screening tests give comparable results to quantitative analysis in regulatory laboratories.
