Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Aflatoxin M1 in Milk Powder Using Immunoaffinity Columns for Cleanup: Interlaboratory Study

A liquid chromatographic method for determining low aflatoxin M1 concentrations in milk was evaluated in an International Dairy Federation (IDF) interlaboratory study. The study involved 16 participants from 11 countries. The method, chosen after a comparison of several methods by a preparatory group, uses an immunoaffinity column for cleanup. As the sample passes through the column, antibodies selectively bind with aflatoxin M1 (antigen) present and form an antibody-antigen complex. All other components of the sample matrix are washed off the column with water. Then, aflatoxin M1 is eluted from the column with acetonitrile, which is collected. Final determination is carried out by reversed-phase liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Over the tested range (80-600 ng aflatoxin M1/kg milk powder), an RSDR ranging from 11 to 23% was obtained by analyzing 24 samples (blind duplicates), 2 samples of which were blanks.

Capillary Gas Chromatographic Determination of Some Chlorobiphenyls in Eel Fat: Interlaboratory Study

A method for determination of 6 individual chlorobiphenyls in eel fat, based on saponification of the sample and determination with capillary gas chromatography, was studied collaboratively. Eleven laboratories submitted analytical results in duplicate for 6 individual chlorobiphenyls on 2 naturally contaminated eel fat samples. The reproducibility coefficient of variation was about 14% at the 1 mg/kg level for each chlorobiphenyl compound and about 23% at the 0.1 mg/kg level. For each compound, the mean recovery was about 90% with a standard deviation varying from 7 to 9%.

Determination and Confirmation of Identity of Aflatoxin M1 in Dairy Products: Collaborative Study

An international collaborative study involving 23 collaborators was conducted to test methods, improved over previous methods with respect to speed and solvent use, for the rapid determination and thin layer chromatographic (TLC) confirmation of aflatoxin M1 identity in dairy products. For the quantitative method, collaborators assayed samples of Couda and cheddar cheeses, powdered milk, and butter containing levels of M1 near the anticipated limit of determination. Statistical analysis of the study results indicated that the lower limit of determination and precision of this method were comparable to these parameters of methods previously approved for analysis for aflatoxin M1. A few collaborators found that M1 eluted early from cleanup columns with cheese and butter samples and that emulsions formed during powdered milk sample extraction. The reasons for these problems have been determined and remedies are provided. For the TLC confirmation of identity method, collaborators prepared trifluoroacetic acid derivatives of M1 on the plates after 2-dimensional development. Concentrations as low as 0.3 ng/g cheese and 1.0 ng/g powdered milk were determined in this study. As a result of this study, both methods have been adopted as official first action methods by the AOAC and as reference methods by IUPAC.