Press Releases
VICAM ANNOUNCES USDA-GIPSA (FGIS) APPROVAL FOR FUMONISIN TEST KIT
Government inspection agency certifies kit for compliance with federal testing guidelines
View USDA-GIPSA Certificate of Conformance, No. FGIS 2003-102 (PDF)
WATERTOWN, MA –– VICAM, a world leader in agricultural biotechnology and bioseparations, announces that their fumonisin test kit, FumoniTest™ 200, has received a USDA-GIPSA (formerly FGIS) Certificate of Conformance, FGIS 2003-102. This quantitative test has been approved by the USDA Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) for use with corn and related products. VICAM prides itself on providing rapid, accurate, easy-to-use tests which give precise numerical results. VICAM is known internationally for its rapid mycotoxin and microbiological testing systems for the food and feed industries.
Jim Cary, VICAM’s National Sales Manager, stresses the importance of this approval to users of FumoniTest 200. “We at VICAM are pleased to announce that we are able to provide our customers with a superior test for fumonisin that has GIPSA approval. This is great news for customers such as official grain inspection stations which need the convenience of a test that is easy to perform and is approved by GIPSA.”
About Fumonisin
Fumonisins are mycotoxins produced by the fungus Fusarium moniliforme.
F. moniliforme is a frequent, almost universal inhabitant of corn.
Fumonisin B1 and fumonisin B2 are
present in most corn samples tested, often at greater than 1 part per
million (ppm.) Fumonisin is thought to cause equine leukoencephalomalacia,
swine pulmonary edema, and human esophageal cancer. The FDA/USDA Working
Group on Fumonisin advises less than 5 ppm in horse feed, less than 10
ppm for swine feed, and less than 50 ppm for cattle feed.
Advantages of FumoniTest
200
FumoniTest 200 is approved for the quantitative determination of total
fumonisins in corn, corn meal, corn soy blend, corn germ meal, sorghum,
popcorn, and flaking corn grits. The test kit measures as low as 0.5
ppm and as high as 5.0 ppm using the VICAM Series-4 Fluorometer and MF-2000® Mini
Fluorometer.
Nancy Zabe, VICAM Technical Service Manager, amplifies the relevance of this particular approval for FumoniTest 200, “USDA-GIPSA certification for the FumoniTest 200 Kit provides third-party confirmation of the test’s accuracy. Users testing for fumonisin can now be sure that their results are valid for compliance with regulatory guidelines.”
FumoniTest 200 can be performed in less than 20 minutes and requires no special skills. FumoniTest 200 uses monoclonal affinity chromatography to produce precise numerical results while testing at parts per million levels. FumoniTest 200 is also ideal as the cleanup step for any HPLC analysis for precise results in parts per billion (ppb.) VICAM’s FumoniTest 200 is rapid, sensitive, convenient, and has a long shelf life.
Availability and Pricing
Orders are currently being accepted for FumoniTest 200 and pricing information
may be obtained by contacting VICAM or your local VICAM distributor.
About USDA-GIPSA
GIPSA is a USDA Marketing and Regulatory Program established to ensure
fair and competitive trading practices for all those involved in the
marketing of grain, livestock, poultry, and meat. GIPSA’s Federal
Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) establishes Official Standards for
Grain used by buyers and sellers of grain to communicate the type and
quality of grain bought and sold. Through FGIS, GIPSA also determines
standard methods of testing to accurately and consistently measure
grain quality.
About VICAM
VICAM is a world leader in agricultural biotechnology and bioseparations.
VICAM delivers improved animal reproductivity, increased agricultural
productivity, and safeguarded food quality with patented bioseparations
and detection products worldwide. Their products include detection,
measurement, and separations technologies for veterinary reproductive
applications, foodborne carcinogens, and living cells. To date, VICAM
has applied its technologies to 18 products and 3 prototypes. VICAM
supports a global scientific and distribution presence to develop,
market, sell, and service their products in 97 countries worldwide.
For more information, contact Jennifer Smith at VICAM, 313 Pleasant
Street, Watertown, MA 02472 U.S.A.
All VICAM products are protected by worldwide patents and trademarks.
Contact:
Jennifer Smith
Manager of Corporate Communications
VICAM
Tel: +1.617.926.7045
Fax: +1.617.923.8055