Rikilt becomes EURL for mycotoxins and plant toxins

Rikilt carries out independent research into the safety and reliability of food and Rikilt has more than 20 years of experience as EURL for growth hormones in animal derived food products. As of 1 March 2018, Rikilt will also be the official EURL for mycotoxins and plant toxins. The Dutch institute was nominated for these tasks by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, with support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. The European Commission then decided to commission the tasks to Rikilt. Before, Joint Research Centre (JRC, located in Geel, Belguim) was the official EURL for mycotoxins. Rikilt has taken over the mycotoxin tasks from JRC, and combines this with plant toxins in 1 EURL.

In Europe there are different EURLs for different topics (such as GMOs, heavy metals in feed and food, Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), Campylobacter etc). The task of the EURL for mycotoxins and plant toxins is that research and the statutory mandatory checks into mycotoxins and plant toxins in food and feed are properly set up and carried out by the National Reference laboratories (NRLs) in each Member State. A major component of this task is to develop, and make available, the analytical methods for analysis to the NRLs. The NRLs assists the EURL in its tasks and duties. The NRLs are officially nominated by the Member States.

Source: Rikilt