Tag: vomitoxin

World GMO Cultivation

Posted on by Susan Whipkey
Chart Showing World GMO Culivation by Domestic and Imported Percentages
Growing percentage of U.S.
organic commodities from import
Demand for organic soybeans and corn is outpacing domestic supply, causing an increase in imported organic commodities, and a subsequent requirement for heightened testing.

Did you know that U.S. grain imports are on the rise? The increasing consumer demand for organic and non-GMO foods has exposed a shortfall in the U.S. supply chain. Even as domestic acreage devoted to organic soybeans and corn is increasing, production remains well short of demand.

The complex risk/reward calculation, as well as the multi-year commitment, has made it tough on US farmers to commit to joining the market. An additional 1 to 5 million acres would need to be converted to meet demand. Added to that, a ready supply of these commodities on the world market from countries such as Turkey, India, Ukraine and Romania keep a damper on market premiums for these commodities.

Unfortunately, it has also led to less-than-honest business practices, if not outright fraud, within the international supply chain. The Washington Post recently identified several shipments of grain that showed conventional pricing at the point of purchase that were inexplicably identified as organic when they reached the U.S.—and proven to not conform to the organic standard.

The truth is, there is very little confirmation testing when organic and non-GMO shipments are received; the documentation provided is relied upon, endangering the integrity of all downstream usage. Imported grain gets shuttled in numerous ways through various transit points with little traceability.

Though you are familiar with what crops are grown in your area, as well as your domestic partners supplying grain, there are many ways that your supply chain can be infiltrated with commodities from unknown sources. Reliance on paperwork and handshakes can severely compromise your product as well as your reputation.

EnviroLogix is committed to getting you the answers you need to ensure that you can reliably participate in non-GMO markets, with world-class GMO test coverage and traceable, quantifiable results for corn and soy, as well as canola, alfalfa and more. Test with confidence and get your own answers, insuring your own claims and reputation.

Want a GMO test? We have them available for the crops above and more…

For more GMO news, check out:

 

 

Want more great articles like this?

Test DDGS for Mycotoxins Due to Increased Risk This Year

Posted on by Brian Harris

Although ethanol plants don’t need to check every incoming truck for every mycotoxin, it is good practice to screen the first incoming loads of harvested corn carefully to get a sense of the mycotoxins that might be present in newly-harvested corn. The mycotoxins of most concern are Aflatoxin, Vomitoxin (DON), and Fumonisin.  Testing for mycotoxins in ethanol plants isn’t new. It was implemented in most facilities when a secondary market for feed was found for the byproduct of ethanol production, DDGS (dried distillers grains with solubles).

Screening for mycotoxins appears to be especially important this year; double-digit percentages of corn in “poor” and “very poor” condition are being reported in 9 states responsible for 70% of the US corn production, according to the latest USDA/NASS 2017 Crop Progress and Condition Report (see graphic).

In other words, conditions are ripe, and it is important to test DDGS for harmful mycotoxins.

Feed markets have very strict guidelines about the levels of mycotoxins present. With the multiplicative effect of corn ethanol production, even small amounts of mycotoxins coming into the plant can be magnified to reportable levels in the end product. And because each mycotoxin has known negative health impacts in animals, each has individual limits that vary according to species and age.

Added to that, the new guidelines for complying with the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) require testing and traceability of feed components. Plants with robust quality systems have been able to utilize existing systems to comply with the requirements for analyzing hazards and reporting results. But FSMA does not give guidance as to how frequently or comprehensively to test.

In general, getting a comprehensive baseline for a season can help quality managers set their testing frequencies and cutoffs for any particular year, and support the justification for that testing. Supplementary testing of homogeneous DDGS can provide additional data points and confirmation of good quality screening of incoming materials. That approach provides the basis for complying with the requirements and intention of FSMA.

Along with offering mycotoxin tests for corn and DDGS, EnviroLogix has introduced Common Extraction  testing for Aflatoxin, DON and Fumonisin that will allow for one sample preparation and a common run time when testing for these three mycotoxins in incoming corn.

The resulting operational efficiency streamlines early-season testing, and our world-class QuickScan System provides unparalleled quantification and traceability.  Contact us today to find out how you can take advantage of time-saving Common Extraction mycotoxin testing.

Keep Mycotoxins in Mind and Out of Your Grain

Posted on by Brian Harris
Remember that mycotoxins are produced by molds like Aspergillus (Afla) or Fusarium (DON).  You can learn more about mycotoxins in general and find more detail on the most common individual toxins here. When we speak about controlling mycotoxin contamination, we are really discussing creating grain storage conditions that are not favorable for mold growth. Here are 4 conditions you can control to help maintain the quality of your grain and keep mycotoxins out:

Moisture

Mold needs moisture to grow so when you reduce your moisture content you improve your chances of winning the fight against mycotoxin producing molds. It is recommended to reduce the amount of moisture as early as possible and to keep the percent moisture at 14% or less.

Temperature

Keep cool and even temperatures by using proper aeration.  Why?  Keeping the temperature cool will make the environment less favorable for insects. Keeping the temperature even will reduce the chance of condensation that can occur from drastic temperature changes.

Insects

Insects can damage grain with digging, chewing and leaving waste, leaving it more susceptible to mycotoxin contamination. They can also bring in additional moisture.

Damaged Grain

Remember the old adage “quality in quality out”?  Damaged grain is more susceptible to mycotoxin contamination.  Separate or sell damaged grain to limit its incorporation into high-quality stored grains.

Are your storage practices working?

Make sure your storage practices are adequate.  Monitor the quality of your grain through testing.  Begin with testing incoming grain to set a baseline understanding of the grain quality.  Then regularly test your grain to assure that your storage practices are working effectively.  EnviroLogix offers a complete line of mycotoxin tests for your testing needs.  Envirologix’ new Flex line of mycotoxin kits, which includes the market’s fastest DON test, provides fast, easy and accurate results to help you with your grain testing needs.

Winter Wheat Harvest Woes

Posted on by Brian Harris

Wheat harvest season is well underway for many U.S. wheat growers. Some of the first soft-red wheat harvested by U.S. farmers in 2015 is the worst in at least 17 years, according to Bloomberg and other sources.

This year’s heavy rainfalls  – up to three times the normal amount – have made mycotoxin diseases like vomitoxin more prominent in many wheat-growing states.

USDA scouts recently noted that “there have been reports of elevators rejecting wheat loads due to the presence of vomitoxin,” a toxic fungal residue, also known as Deoxynialenol or DON. “Winter wheat left unharvested continues to have quality issues, including problems with scab, sprouting and mold,” the scouts added. In Michigan, official scouts said that “intermittent rain showers limited the amount of winter wheat harvested this week – moisture levels were reported as high, and some growers reported vomitoxin issues.” And in Ohio, USDA staff said that “some wheat has been of such poor quality, it is not able to be sold.”

Soft-red winter wheat is typically sold to mills and turned into flour, which is then used to make consumer products like crackers and cookies. However, the poor quality of this year’s winter wheat harvest means that it may only consumable in animal feed. According to the USDA Risk Management Agency, high levels of vomitoxin may result in either a discount in price or the requirement to destroy the grain.

So how can you avoid contamination in your crops? There is no sure DON prevention, as environmental conditions play a big part. However, there are several good practices for controlling it such as crop rotation, choosing a variety with some resistance, applying fungicides in a timely manner and tillage practices. Iowa State University engineer Charles Hurburgh warns that storing wet grain, even overnight and especially without aeration, shortens its life considerably. You should check it weekly, monitoring for spikes in the temperature, and test it regularly for evidence of DON or other mycotoxins.