Publication Abstract

Refinement and Extension of AOAC Method 2005.06 to Include Additional Toxins in Mussels: Single-Laboratory Validation

A.D. Turner*, D.M. Norton, R.G. Hatfield, S. Morris, A.R. Reese, M. Algoet and D.N. Lees

A single-laboratory validation study was undertaken for the analysis of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins in common mussels, extending the AOAC Official Method (OM) 2005.06 to include the additional toxins dcNEO and dcGTX2,3. Refinements were made to the method to improve toxin oxidation product stability, analytical sensitivity of N-hydroxylated toxins and throughput. Validation was performed to characterise the method for selectivity, sensitivity, linearity, precision, repeatability, recovery, ruggedness and uncertainty. A subsequent period of parallel testing of naturally-contaminated mussels enabled a comparison of sample toxicities obtained using MBA and HPLC methodologies. Performance characteristics of the method are reported here for all commercially-available certified reference toxins. Results from the MBA and HPLC methods were well correlated, and the analytical method has been instigated as the sole monitoring tool for UK official control-surveillance of PSP toxins in common mussels.

Reference 

A.D. Turner*, D.M. Norton, R.G. Hatfield, S. Morris, A.R. Reese, M. Algoet and D.N. Lees (2009) Refinement and Extension of AOAC Method 2005.06 to Include Additional Toxins in Mussels: Single-Laboratory Validation. Journal of AOAC International Vol 92, No.1, 2009 pp.190-207