The role of sampling in mycotoxin contamination: a holistic view

Marina Miraglia (1)

1 National Centre for Food Quality and Risk Assessment, GMO and Mycotoxins Unit

The need of obtaining a representative sample deserves particular consideration since a wrong sampling plan can greatly affect the reliability of the measured levels of mycotoxins. This can even result in legal disputes and barriers to trade. Reported here is a holistic view for an ideal sampling plan, which is based on two consecutive steps: 1) to establish “why, where and when” sampling has to be performed by assessing the purpose, the appropriate time and the site for collecting the samples; 2) to establish “how” to draw samples by assessing practical ad hoc guidelines, considering that, for bulk goods in particular, mycotoxins are not at all homogeneously distributed in a lot. So far, step 1 is not yet covered by specific guidelines while for step 2, European regulations establish the procedures for the sampling of bulk and retail products potentially contaminated by mycotoxins.

Mots clés: Life Sciences

Marina Miraglia. The role of sampling in mycotoxin contamination: a holistic view. Food Additives and Contaminants, 2005, 22 (S1), pp.31. ⟨10.1080/02652030500389055⟩. ⟨hal-00577566⟩