Event Information

Webinar at 8:30 AM on June 12, 2019

Managing Aflatoxin Risk: Proper sampling and analytical techniques to ensure accurate and defensible results

For the sake of food safety across value chains, a need exists to manage variability in sampling and testing for a laboratory to produce accurate and defensible aflatoxin results. Thus, we start this webinar by looking into sources and control of variability in aflatoxin testing of animal feeds and crops for human consumption. The presentation will utilize a storyboard presentation of the challenges and discoveries encountered by the Office of the Texas State Chemist in managing aflatoxin risk over the past decade and some of the common mistakes by labs the OTSC director has encountered during his work in Eastern and Southern Africa over the past 5 years. Highlighted in the discussion are testing quality including proficiency, traceability and uncertainty.

This webinar will serve as an introduction to the broad topic of aflatoxin risk as well as a primer for those interested in pursuing a certificate from an accredited proficiency-testing program. As an outcome of this webinar, participants will better understand the critical role of a lab in managing aflatoxin risk and the importance of a lab quality system in producing accurate, defensible and timely results. At the end of the webinar, participants will be provided instructions on how to enroll in a global proficiency testing program (pt.tamu.edu/) offered by the Office of the Texas State Chemist. There is no charge to participate in this ISO 17043 accredited aflatoxin proficiency-testing program.

Dr. Timothy Herrman serves as the State Chemist and Director of the Office of the Texas State Chemist (OTSC). He directs the Texas Feed and Fertilizer Control Service of OTSC that regulates 5000+ firms manufacturing and distributing 25 million tons of feed and fertilizer in Texas with a market value of $10 billion and performs FDA feed safety inspections. He also directs the Agricultural Analytical Service (AAS) of OTSC, an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory providing analytical support to FFCS, FDA, and USDA.