Vicam, a Waters Corporation business, has introduced the Fumo V strip test, the newest member of the quantitative strip test family.

Designed to work with the portable Vertu Lateral Flow Reader, Fumo-V uses the proven sensitivity and selectivity of Vicam’s monoclonal antibodies to accurately detect and measure fumonisin B1, B2 and B3 (mycotoxins derived from fusarium) at levels as low as 0.2 ppm (parts per million) and as high as five ppm. The single dilution sample preparation procedure saves time and materials, and the strip test yields results in just five minutes.

“Fumo-V strip tests in combination with our Vertu reader make testing for mycotoxins more accessible to food and agriculture producers worldwide. They rely on early detection to protect humans and animals from potentially lethal effects of contamination,” comments Marjorie Radlo, general manager, director of operations, for Vicam. “Our quantitative strip tests can easily be performed onsite or in the laboratory giving precise, numerical results.”

“The Fumo-V test is well-suited to onsite locations. Users do not need to be chemists and can learn to use the test in less than 30 minutes, yet still obtain quantitative results,” said Dr Stephen Powers, head of research and development for Vicam.

The economic impact of mycotoxins is vast. The Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that 25 per cent of the world’s crops are affected by mycotoxins each year. Crop losses, management, product recalls, and regulatory oversight result in annual losses of approximately one billion tonnes of food and food products.

Fumonisins are mycotoxins produced by several fusarium mould species that are implicated in equine leukoencephalomalacia in horses, swine pulmonary edema, and human esophageal cancer. The EU enforces maximum allowable levels as low as 0.2 ppm in infant foods to as high as four ppm fumonisin for unprocessed maize intended for human consumption. The US FDA Guidelines for fumonisin recommend 2–4 ppm level for whole and processed maize products for human consumption.

The Fumo-V test is the third strip test specially designed for use with the Vertu Lateral Flow Reader joining Afla-V and Don-V tests for aflatoxins and vomitoxins, respectively.

Mycotoxins are naturally occurring chemical byproducts of ubiquitous mould species which are natural inhabitants of crop soils. Severe rain or drought can encourage mycotoxin production and, once released, mycotoxins are difficult to manage and virtually impossible to destroy. Vicam offers detection systems for single and multiple mycotoxin quantification both onsite and in-laboratory screening.