Early detection of fungal contamination of cereals
Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) is an important weapon in the fight to protect our food supply against a number of threats. Cereals and grains are particularly susceptible to contamination by the mycotoxins T-2 and HT-2 and GAP must be supplemented with effective monitoring procedures. T-2 and HT-2 are produced by the fungal species Fusarium langsethiae and Fusarium sporotrichioides. Work by the National Veterinary Institute of Norway in the DETOX-FUNGI project has significantly reduced the time needed to detect F. langsethiae and F. sporotrichioides. A Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique is used to identify the DNA fingerprint of the Fusarium culprits. It can be applied to a number of different types of cereals either before or after harvest. In addition to being faster, the new method is also able to detect much lower concentrations of the dangerous fungi. There is also strong evidence linking the degree of F. langsethiae and F. sporotrichioides infection to the levels of the mycotoxins T-2 and HT-2 measured in the laboratory. The National Veterinary Institute is pursuing patent protection for the new technique as well as agreements with international laboratories for its exploitation. Efforts are also being made to inform the scientific community through journal publications. The entire cereal supply chain, from the farmers themselves to food manufacturers to the final consumers, stands to benefit from this development. More information about the technique, the National Veterinary Institute and the DETOX-FUNGI project are online at: http://detox.ba.cnr.it(opens in new window)
