How Climate Change Drives the Need for Mycotoxin and Heavy Metal Testing
The Hidden Risks in Everyday Food
The importance of safe foodstuffs is highlighted in presence of toxins that are found within the crops that we consume daily. Whether it is the cereals in your breakfast or the tea leaves in your drink having the peace of mind that what you are ingesting is safe is important. Two main contaminants which Minerva Scientific – A Tentamus Company have experience in analysing are mycotoxins and heavy metals. Introduced at stages of food production from a wide range of sources such as soil, transport and pesticides these contaminants can be found at levels that may cause severe health problems with prolonged exposure.
Climate Change Is Increasing Contamination
At Minerva Scientific – A Tentamus Company our suite of tests has been expanding to match the increasing importance of analysis as the effects of global warming increase the occurrence of contaminants in foodstuffs. It has been documented that the increase in global temperatures has seen an increase in mycotoxin production by fungal colonies(1) and bioavailability of heavy metals in the environment(2) via soil pollution. The changes to our environment from human activity influence our food and that is becoming increasingly scrutinised by governments and regulatory bodies. It is therefore important that our laboratories adapt to provide accurate and reliable data for producers, consumers, and regulators.
Ensuring Accountability Through Accreditation
One such method of ensuring accountability of our laboratories is accreditation from independent regulatory bodies; in the UK that authority is UKAS. Minerva Scientific holds UKAS accreditation to ISO 17025 (Testing Laboratory No, 2504) for a variety of food testing methods including testing for mycotoxins and heavy metals.
Refer to our current Schedule of Accreditation for more details.
Contact Us
Please get in touch with the Minerva Scientific – A Tentamus Company team by emailing us at HelloUK@tentamus.com or reaching out through our contact form!
This article was written by one of our experts at Minerva Scientific – A Tentamus Company, Dr Benjamin J Fryer.
(1) Kos J, Anić M, Radić B, Zadravec M, Janić Hajnal E, Pleadin J. Climate Change-A Global Threat Resulting in Increasing Mycotoxin Occurrence. Foods. 2023 Jul 14;12(14):2704. doi: 10.3390/foods12142704. PMID: 37509796; PMCID: PMC10379110.
(2) Xiao W, Zhang Y, Chen X, Sha A, Xiong Z, Luo Y, Peng L, Zou L, Zhao C, Li Q. The Easily Overlooked Effect of Global Warming: Diffusion of Heavy Metals. Toxics. 2024 May 30;12(6):400. doi: 10.3390/toxics12060400. PMID: 38922080; PMCID: PMC11209588.