Development and certification of a reference material for zearalenone in maize germ oil

Abstract

Zearalenone (ZEN), an estrogenic mycotoxin produced by several species of Fusarium fungi, is a common contaminant of cereal-based food worldwide. Due to frequent occurrences associated with high levels of ZEN, maize oil is a particular source of exposure. Although a European maximum level for ZEN in maize oil exists according to Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1126/2007 along with a newly developed international standard method for analysis, certified reference materials (CRM) are still not available. To overcome this lack, the first CRM for the determination of ZEN in contaminated maize germ oil (ERM®-BC715) was developed in the frame of a European Reference Materials (ERM®) project according to the requirements of ISO Guide 35. The whole process of CRM development including preparation, homogeneity and stability studies, and value assignment is presented. The assignment of the certified mass fraction was based upon an in-house study using high-performance liquid chromatography isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry. Simultaneously, to support the in-house certification study, an interlaboratory comparison study was conducted with 13 expert laboratories using different analytical methods. The certified mass fraction and expanded uncertainty (k = 2) of ERM®-BC715 (362 ± 22) μg kg−1 ZEN are traceable to the SI. This reference material is intended for analytical quality control and contributes to the improvement of consumer protection and food safety. Graphical abstract

Developments in mycotoxin analysis: an update for 2021-22

“…The previously mentioned cis isomer of ZEN, similarly as other ZEN derivatives, were not detected in this CRM. As noted in conclusions of this study, future CRMs should also focus on photochemically formed cis-ZEN, and biologically modified ZEN conjugates as sulphates and glucosides, as well as highly estrogenic ZEN metabolites α-/β-zearalenols (α-/β-ZEL), because all these derivatives contribute to the total ZEN/ZEL exposure (Riedel et al, 2021).…”

“…In the study of Riedel et al (2021), the authors developed a certified matrix-based material of ZEN in maize germ oil (ERM®-BC715) as a reflection of the gap in the current market. Despite the existence of a European maximum level for ZEN in maize oil (EC, 2007), the CRM of ZEN in this commodity has been lacking until now.…”

Aqueous Dispersions of Polypropylene: Toward Reference Materials for Characterizing Nanoplastics

“…as suggested by Bremser et al [52] This approach was applied by Riedel et al [53] for certifying a reference material for zearalenone in maize germ oil and by Koch et al [54] for two certified reference materials for acrylamide determination in food. Application of Equation ( 24) leads to estimation of the shelf-life of the nano polypropylene when stored at different temperatures.…”

Trends in selected fields of reference material production

“…Along with wheat and rice, maize, the most harvested cereal, is also the one that is most susceptible to mycotoxin contamination. Therefore, CRMs for (multi)mycotoxins in maize [ 27 ] and maize products such as maize germ oils [ 28 ] will become important in the future. Also, CRMs for infant food [ 29 ] are steadily gaining in importance and CRMs for newly regulated contaminants such as ergot alkaloids.…”