title: Sampling of cereals and cereal-based foods for the determination of ochratoxin A: an overview.
abstract: The mycotoxin ochratoxin A (OTA) is known to be heterogeneously distributed both intrinsically (from one individual food item to the next) as well as distributionally (throughout a sample of individual food items) in cereals and cereal-based foods. Therefore, proper sampling and sample comminution are special challenges, but are prerequisites for obtaining sound analytical data. This paper outlines the issue of the sampling process for cereals and cereal-based foods, starting with the planning phase, followed by the sampling step itself and the formation of analytical samples. The sampling of whole grain and retail-level cereal-based foods will be discussed. Furthermore, possibilities to reduce sampling variance are presented.
authors.affiliation: Canadian Grain Commission, Grain Research Laboratory, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. sheryl.tittlemier@grainscanada.gc.ca
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Tittlemier
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Varga
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krska
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000737:chemistry / Q000592:standards; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000592:standards; D057140:Fast Foods / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D007881:Legislation, Food; D009793:Ochratoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D009793:Ochratoxins; C025589:ochratoxin A