A rapid screening method for the aflatoxins and ochratoxin A

A rapid, economical minicolumn procedure for screening aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in a wide range of products is presented. The technique includes high speed blending of the sample with aqueous methanol, purification of the extract with a solution of zinc sulfate and phosphotungstic acid, partitioning in benzene, and minicolumn chromatography. Sensitivities of 4 ppb for the aflatoxins and 20 ppb for ochratoxin A could be achieved; and the simplicity of the method, which includes the use of disposable plastic and glass items, makes the method practical for field or in‐plant applications.