The second piece of work is an assessment for DON of samples drawn from flour millers, maltsters and feed compounders. This is part of an ongoing HGCA funded project on contaminant monitoring. Samples will be drawn post harvest and submitted for DON testing, with the results being made available to the industry. This work is seen as central to determining what level of risk can be applied to UK crops and therefore crucial to informing a company’s own risk assessment.

It should be borne in mind however that neither of these pieces of work are likely to yield substantive information until, at the earliest, late October each year.

What are the steps a company can take to show due diligence?
Ensure those responsible for the purchase and sale of grain are aware of the legislation and understand the company’s obligation.

Ensure all suppliers are made aware of their obligations under the legislation, in particular the need to manage their own risk assessment and test according to findings
Monitor, pre-harvest information relating to the threat of fusarium ear blight infection in cereal crops.

In conjunction with farmer suppliers, use of the attached risk model will indicate the level, and targeting, of testing which is required.
What tests are available?

A L Cox & Sons have a dedicated laboratory facility which is fully equipped to test cereals for mycotoxins and to determine their suitability for food industry use.