102314MycoPure: Novel sample extraction process to facilitate rapid, reliable mycotoxin testing in food samplesClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKThere is an urgent industry need for new mycotoxin extraction methods to increase the effectiveness of mycotoxin testing in food manufacture & processing. Recent advances in mycotoxin testing have focused on rapid detection but front-end extraction/concentration methods have lagged behind & there is no simple, cost-effective platform for one-step extraction & purification of multiple contaminants. This interdisciplinary project will develop a novel mycotoxin extraction system with the ability to increase the efficiency of testing by up to 20%, thereby lowering associated costs, increasing test kit uptake & improving resource efficiency, enabling substantial economic benefits to the UK food industry. The project is technically & commercially innovative as it exploits a novel acoustic extraction method that offers a flexible platform, seamlessly integrating into existing diagnostic techniques for enhanced efficiency of food testing; an innovation enabled only by cross-sector collaboration towards a common goal – superior mycotoxin testing capability. The proposed work has the potential to substantially improve food safety, contributing to a safe & secure food manufacturing supply chain.