Mycotoxins are among the many toxic chemicals in soil, air, and water that plant-based products come in contact with. ACS Laboratory uses medical-grade equipment to detect these microscopic compounds in trace amounts, and the mold, fungi, and bacteria that produce them. ACS’s deep scientific team investigates cannabis, hemp, mushroom, and kratom products to ensure they’re free of these harmful substances.
This article explains how mycotoxins infect plants and products, the need for mycotoxins testing, and how ACS Laboratory’s comprehensive contaminants screening ensures the most accurate results.
What Are Mycotoxins?
Mycotoxins are toxic chemical compounds produced by certain molds and fungi that can contaminate organic material like cannabis, hemp, kratom, and mushrooms. They pose significant health risks when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed.
How do mycotoxins form?
Plants can become contaminated with mycotoxins when microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts, molds, and viruses, are present. These microorganisms create ideal conditions for molds and fungi to grow, which can release toxic compounds that infiltrate the plant material. Factors like humidity, improper storage, or poor handling can increase the likelihood of these microorganisms thriving.
Mold and bacteria types that often produce mycotoxins are:
- Aspergillus (most common)
- Penicillium
- Fusarium
- Claviceps
Although there are many mycotoxins, health authorities consider Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, and Ochratoxin A the most dangerous, so qualified labs must screen routinely screen for them.
What products can contain mycotoxins?
Mycotoxins are a significant problem for many plants and product types. A 2019 study confirmed that these harmful contaminants exist in more than 25% of the world’s agricultural production.
Mycotoxins are prolific because they occur naturally in the soil, air, and water, meaning they can grow on virtually any organic material. Cannabis, hemp, kratom, and mushrooms, along with dietary supplements and finished goods, are susceptible to mycotoxins. In 2018, the FDA noted 200 infections from kratom supplements caused by bacteria.
What are the risk factors for mycotoxin contamination?
Mycotoxins can contaminate any organic material. However, cannabis and hemp plants are especially at risk due to the warm and humid growth conditions. Cannabis, hemp, and mushrooms are also bioaccumulators, meaning they absorb compounds from their environment more readily than other plants.
Mold and bacteria can also invade crops after harvest, producing toxins during drying and storage. Dried plant materials quickly absorb moisture, making them more susceptible to developing molds that produce mycotoxins. Storing cannabis, hemp, and other plants in poorly ventilated warehouses can cause air temperature and humidity to rise, creating an ideal environment for these dangerous compounds.
Additionally, mycotoxins are chemically stable enough to survive food processing, so they can remain throughout the manufacturing and become more potent in final products. Worse, one compromised batch run can transfer residual mycotoxins to otherwise healthy products by cross-contaminating the machinery.
Exposure can happen at any point in the supply chain, making frequent mycotoxins testing a critical quality assurance measure for all cannabis, hemp, mushroom, and kratom brands.
The Importance of Mycotoxins Testing
Mycotoxins testing is critical in protecting consumer health, causing many states to require it for legal sales. Beyond compliance, it’s an essential part of a long list of safety checks that ensure product quality and build trust in the industry.
Consumer safety
Mycotoxins can be very harmful to humans, especially in cases of long-term exposure. Most frequently, these compounds cause infections in lung and skin tissues. Symptoms include:
- Respiratory problems, such as wheezing and difficulty breathing
- Skin irritation
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
Mycotoxins also have carcinogenic and mutagenic properties that can damage DNA structure and lead to serious health issues, including:
- Kidney and liver damage
- Immune system suppression
- Cancer
Customers who inhale or ingest compromised products can become sick and nauseous with the very symptoms that many medical cannabis patients seek relief from. Reliable mycotoxins testing is the only way to guarantee cannabis, hemp, mushroom, and kratom products are safe and effective.
Compliance
Some states require mycotoxins testing by law due to their exposure risks. For instance, medical cannabis and hemp products in Florida and New Jersey must pass a mycotoxin screening to verify Aflatoxin and Ochratoxin levels are within safety limits.
Third-party organizations like ACS Laboratory use precise equipment to measure these compounds in parts per billion. Accurate mycotoxins testing is the only way to avoid costly recalls when contaminated cannabis reaches dispensary shelves.
Product quality
Mycotoxins testing is crucial for brands regardless of legal mandates. Rather than waiting for states and the federal government to finalize laws, brands can build consumer trust and elevate industry standards by initiating their own safety checks.
- Even the most stringent cultivation, production, and storage care cannot prevent plant-based products from encountering contaminants in their environments.
- Partnering with an accredited third-party laboratory that can validate their results with a certificate of analysis (COA) provides peace of mind for customers and regulators alike that products are clean and safe.
How ACS Laboratory Guarantees Accurate Mycotoxins Testing Results
ACS Laboratory uses sophisticated mycotoxins testing instruments and offers multiple tests to verify that plants are healthy and contaminant-free. Along with cannabis and hemp, ACS is one of the few laboratories in the nation knowledgeable in mycotoxins testing methods for other plant-derived products susceptible to mycotoxin contamination, including magic mushrooms, functional mushrooms, and kratom.
Precise testing equipment
ACS analyzes products across all stages—from plants to dried flower to extracts—for mycotoxins using the Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS) method. LC-MS is the most sensitive and advanced technique, allowing analysts to extract various compounds in a sample, observe them individually, and quantify them in parts per billion.
Comprehensive testing options
ACS Laboratory offers comprehensive plant health panels to ensure dangerous microorganisms don’t make it into final products, including:
ACS Laboratory has received 82 Emerald Badges (more rewards than any other lab in the USA) for accuracy, including results in detecting mold levels and moisture content.
Lab reports that verify safety
ACS Laboratory uses cutting-edge software to generate a distinctive COA (certificate of analysis) that authenticates all lab results, including mycotoxin testing. A COA is essential to verify the proper potency and safety tests were conducted, including screening for harmful contaminants like mycotoxins.
COAs from ACS also include:
- Secure client access via an online portal
- Linked QR codes for seamless integration into product packaging, web pages, and blockchain tracking.
- Results reported in English and Spanish
The Bottom Line
Partnering with ACS Laboratory allows cannabis, hemp, mushroom, and kratom brands to ensure their products are free from dangerous mycotoxins. ACS uses advanced methods and equipment to detect these harmful compounds in trace amounts throughout a product’s lifecycle. It also supplies accurate reporting in a verified COA to satisfy regulatory requirements and assure customers that products are safe.
Brands interested in prioritizing quality and fostering an industry built on trust and accuracy can contact ACS Laboratory to submit samples for mycotoxins testing today.
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