bilacon expands pesticide multimethod with griseofulvin

bilacon, a leading laboratory for food and feed analysis, is pleased to announce that griseofulvin is now included in the pesticide multi-method. This extension allows the antifungal to be analyzed with even greater precision and reliability.

What is griseofulvin?

Griseofulvin is known as a metabolic product of the ubiquitous mold Penicillium griseofulvum with an antimicrobial or fungicidal effect. It is also used (e.g. in the USA) as a medicine against fungal skin diseases.

Positive findings can occur in particular with spices such as turmeric or cinnamon and spice mixtures made from them. Due to an authorization as a plant protection product in the period from 1966 to 1973 in the GDR, a classification as a pesticide is to be made and thus the catch-all value of 0.01 mg/kg applicable in the EU is to be applied. Nevertheless, an application must be examined in the case of positive findings as griseofulvin can be formed endogenously in various foods.

Presence in food

Low levels of griseofulvin occur naturally in foods contaminated with griseofulvin-producing fungi. Typical foods are:

• Spoiled fruit and vegetables (e.g. oranges, apples, strawberries)
• Cereals and cereal products (e.g. wheat, barley, oats)
• Nuts and seeds (e.g. almonds, walnuts, peanuts).

Griseofulvin has previously been detected in spices such as turmeric and cinnamon, as well as in spice mixtures such as curry. Between 2018 and 2021, a finding was already detected in mate, which is listed in the Pesticide-online.eu database and in the Pesticide Properties Database of the University of Hertfordshire.

Griseofulvin is also produced synthetically and used in the form of tablets or capsules to treat fungal infections.

Analytical key figures for griseofulvin

Thanks to state-of-the-art analytical techniques, bilacon can detect griseofulvin with the following analytical key figures:

• Reporting limit: 0.01 mg/kg
• Limit of quantification: 0.005 mg/kg
• Detection limit: 0.002 mg/kg

These precise analytical indicators guarantee maximum accuracy when testing food and animal feed for residues of griseofulvin. With the expansion of the pesticide multi-method, bilacon ensures that customers continue to receive the best possible quality and safety for their products.

During the assessment, it is noted that griseofulvin can occur naturally in food in very small quantities and that the source of entry must be determined for a final assessment.

“The addition of griseofulvin to our pesticide multi-method is a further step towards meeting the increasing demands for food safety. We are proud to be able to offer our customers advanced analytics at the highest level,” says Roy Sperling, Head of Instrumental Analysis.

bilacon is continuously working to expand and improve its analytical methods in order to meet the ever-changing requirements of the food and animal feed industry. With this new expansion, bilacon strengthens its position as a reliable partner for high-quality analysis and consulting services.