About this course
Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by molds that can contaminate grains, tree nuts, peanuts, spices, and dairy, most commonly when crops are exposed to heat, drought stress, or poor storage conditions. This course covers why mycotoxin testing is a routine part of incoming ingredient QA for facilities that handle these commodities, and how to run and interpret the tests correctly.
The regulatory driver is real and specific: FDA enforces an action level of 20 parts per billion for total aflatoxins (a group including B1, B2, G1, and G2) in human food, with a much lower action level of 0.5 ppb for aflatoxin M1 in milk. Other mycotoxins, including ochratoxin A, are actively monitored by FDA as part of ongoing surveillance even where a formal U.S. action level has not yet been established, so facilities sourcing susceptible commodities should track guidance on multiple mycotoxins, not aflatoxin alone.
This course is designed for QA technicians and QA specialists responsible for incoming ingredient testing, supplier verification, or lab coordination at facilities that process grains, nuts, corn, or spices.
Learners who complete this course will understand what mycotoxins are and why they form, know the difference between screening methods (such as ELISA-based rapid tests) and confirmatory laboratory methods (such as HPLC with immunoaffinity column cleanup), and be able to follow a clear decision path when a sample tests above an action level or internal specification.
Topics covered
- How and why mold-related toxins form in grains, nuts, and spices
- FDA action levels for aflatoxins in human food and animal feed
- Screening methods (ELISA, lateral flow) versus confirmatory lab testing (HPLC)
- Sampling technique and why mycotoxin contamination is often unevenly distributed in a lot
- Documentation and disposition steps when a result exceeds specification
Want this tailored to your facility's policies? Build your own with AI or book a demo.