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Corn Export Cargo Quality Report 2014/2015

Contents

  1. Export Cargo Quality Highlights
  2. Introduction
  3. Quality Test Results
  4. Moisture
  5. Chemical Composition
  6. Physical Factors
  7. Mycotoxins
  8. U.S. Corn Export System
  9. U.S. Corn Export Flow
  10. Impact of the Corn Market Channel on Quality
  11. U.S. Government Inspection and Grading
  12. Survey and Statistical Analysis Methods
  13. Survey Design and Sampling
  14. Statistical Analysis
  15. Testing Analysis Methods
  16. Corn Grading Factors
  17. Moisture
  18. Chemical Composition
  19. Physical Factors
  20. Mycotoxin Testing
  21. U.S. Corn Grades and Conversions
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P. Mycotoxin Testing

Official aflatoxin results are provided by FGIS for the Export Cargo Report 2014/2015. For the aflatoxin testing, a sample of at least 10 pounds of shelled corn was used according to FGIS official procedures. The 10-pound sample was ground using a FGIS-approved grinder. Following the grinding stage, two 500-gram ground portions are removed from the 10-pound comminuted sample using a riffle divider. From one of the 500-gram ground portions, a 50-gram test portion is randomly selected for testing. After adding the proper extraction solvent to the 50-gram test portion, aflatoxin is quantified. The following FGIS-approved quantitative test kits may have been used: VICAM AflaTest™, Beacon Analytical Plate Kit, Romer Labs FluoroQuant Afla or FluoroQuant Afla IAC, Envirologix QuickTox™ for QuickScan Aflatoxin (AQ 109 BG and AQ 209 BG), Neogen Reveal Q+ for Aflatoxin, Reveal Q+ for Aflatoxin Green, or Veratox® Aflatoxin Quantitative Test, Charm Sciences ROSA® FAST, WET™, WET™ XR Aflatoxin Quantitative Test, or R-Biopharm RIDASCREEN® FAST Aflatoxin SC test or RIDA QUICK Aflatoxin RQS.

For the DON testing, the FGIS-approved Envirologix QuickTox™/QuickScan method was used. A 1350-gram sample of shelled corn (obtained by dividing the original sample) was ground to a particle size which would pass through a number 20 wire mesh sieve and divided down to a 50-gram test portion using a Romer Model 2A sampling mill. The 50-gram test portion was then processed as the FGIS DON (Vomitoxin) Handbook requires. DON was extracted with distilled water (5:1), and the extract was tested using the Envirologix AQ 254 BG test kits. The DON was quantified by the QuickScan system.

The EnviroLogix quantitative test kits report specific concentration levels of the mycotoxin if the concentration level exceeds a specific level called a “Limit of Detection” (LOD). The LOD is defined as the lowest concentration level that can be measured with an analytical method that is statistically different from measuring an analytical blank (absence of a mycotoxin). The LOD will vary among different types of mycotoxins, test kits and commodity combinations. The LOD for the EnviroLogix AQ 254 BG is 0.3 parts per million (ppm) for DON.

A letter of performance has been issued by FGIS for the quantification of DON using the Envirologix AQ 254 BG kit.