AMS Reopens Comment Period on Proposed Changes to Mycotoxin Test Kit

Date
March 03, 2021

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) extends the comment period on the impact of planned changes to its mycotoxin test kit design specifications and performance criteria.

A Federal Register notice (85 FR 82427) published on December 18, 2020 and closed January 19, 2021. AMS reopened the comment period for 30 additional days.

AMS establishes test kit performance criteria and provides periodic updates to ensure quality, improve testing accuracy and meet official mycotoxin testing program operational needs.

Only test kits having AMS certification are approved for official mycotoxin testing. Test kits afford field locations rapid delivery of inexpensive and accurate methods to effectively assess U.S. grain quality.

Under the authority of the United States Grains Standards Act and the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, AMS provides official mycotoxin testing services throughout the United States for domestic and export grains, oilseeds, and processed-grain commodities. Official testing services are provided for aflatoxins, deoxynivalenol, fumonisins, ochratoxin A, and zearalenone.

Notice of the reopened comment period published in the Federal Register under Docket #AMS-FGIS-20-0061 on February 22, 2021.

For more information contact Thomas Weber, Branch Chief, Technology and Science Division, at (816) 891-0449 or Thomas.A.Weber@usda.gov.

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