Session 3
CRL- Mycotoxins: Objectives and activities

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Joerg Stroka
European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements,
Retieseweg 111, 2440 Geel, Belgium

Community Reference Laboratories (CRLs) are designated institutions to support activities of the Commission in policy areas carrying a risk to citizens and consumers and requiring strict control measures.  A CRL is a designated analytical laboratory which fulfils its task in close cooperation with National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) in the Member States.

The Joint Research Centre started its activity as CRL on the topic of Mycotoxins in 2006 and is giving since then support to DG SANCO with several activities which are negotiated on an annual basis with DG SANCO.

With Regulation 1881/2006 for food and Recommendation 2006/576 for feed the number of mycotoxins that have been identified as undesirable substances at EU level in the food and feed chain has significantly increased and result in the additional need for suitable and sufficiently characterised analytical methods, as well as tools to guarantee that these methods are operated under suitable and common conditions to assure a harmonised functioning of the official analytical services in the EU Member States.

With the above mentioned focus and the experience in collaborative study efforts, the Food Safety and Quality Unit at the JRC, in which the CRL for mycotoxins is embedded, has conducted in the recent past proficiency tests and method validation studies as well as workshops with the National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) for mycotoxins. During the workshops the need for the harmonisation of technical issues has been identified by the CRL/NRL consortium and will be part of the future program. This presentation will give an overview with specific examples of the currently achieved and ongoing projects such as the method validation study on T-2 and HT-2 toxins and the proficiency tests carried out.