WALTHAM, MASS. — PerkinElmer, Inc. announced Aug. 19 it has launched a new-and-improved mycotoxin detection system to help pet food manufacturers, grain processors, feed mills and contract labs handle mycotoxin samples more accurately and efficiently.

The MaxSignal® Mycotoxin Automation Bundle, which includes the company’s Zearalenone ELISA Kit, HTS Fumonisin ELISA Kit, HTS Ochratoxin A ELISA Kit, and HTS T2/HT2 ELISA Kit, employ new assays and automation to process up to 180 samples in less than 90 minutes. The bundle is capable of detecting all major mycotoxins, according to the company.

This equipment covers both the screening and confirmation testing phases of mycotoxin analysis, as well as providing integration software and application support.

This new suite of mycotoxin detection tools is designed for “complex matrices with high sensitivity and accuracy,” PerkinElmer stated. Workflow improvements of this MaxSignal bundle result in an increased sample throughput, a reduction in manual error risk, and a decreased cost per sample.

“Mycotoxin testing has always been a critical facet of the workflow for high volume food processors and has traditionally required significant investments in time and labor,” said Greg Sears, vice president and general manager of PerkinElmer’s food segment and organic mass spectrometry. “With our new MaxSignal Mycotoxin Automation Bundle, we are combining better and faster solutions with lower total cost per sample for intricate food matrices. This innovation creates faster times to result, absorbing spikes in regional demand and helping customers realize higher lab productivity.”

Over the past year, PerkinElmer has also released two other testing kits, the Deoxynivalenol (DON) automation kit and the Total Aflatoxin kit.

Mycotoxins are the result of fungal mold growth affecting certain grain products during growth or in storage. When ingested by humans or animals, the toxins can cause illness, including neurologic impairment, liver, kidney or heart failure, and even death, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. As the use of grains in the formulation and production of commercial pet foods remains mainstream, it is crucial that manufacturers test for mycotoxins — namely aflatoxins — to prevent product recalls and the adverse effects of those recalls for pets.

Read more about pet food safety on our Operations page.