Int’l - USDA-GISPA (FGIS) Awards Vicam Major Bid For Aflatoxin Test Kits

VICAM, a world leader in agricultural biotechnology and bioseparations, announced that their patented AflaTest® columns have been chosen by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/ Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) as the test kit of choice when testing grains for aflatoxin. The bid (SOLICITATION NUMBER 037-M-APHIS-04) called for a rapid easy-to-use test, with accurate results in parts per billion, and which requires no special storage or transportation. VICAM won this bid by meeting these requirements and offering a patented, AOAC-approved product backed by outstanding sales support and superior technical service. Marjorie Radlo, VICAM Executive Vice President said, "When one is viewed as a leader, one is chosen by leaders. With a full roster of trusted mycotoxin and microbiological products, VICAM maintains a strong global leadership position in food safety. The USDA leads the US in setting grain standards, and is emulated worldwide. Thus, I am delighted, yet not surprised, that these 2 leaders sought one another out and entered into a mutually-beneficial relationship. This important partnership will benefit the purity of grain in the worldwide food supply. When factoring in the global emulation of the USDA standards, I project that the award of this USDA bid could potentially yield VICAM an additional $1.2 million in sales over the next 5 years." "We at VICAM are pleased that the USDA-GIPSA has bestowed its trust on VICAM and the AflaTest product,” said Jim Cary, VICAM National Sales Manager. “The USDA's choice to mandate AflaTest for monitoring the US grain crop and US grain exports speaks volumes about the regard for VICAM in public, private, and international sectors. Other companies and organizations, which need to comply with government food and grain safety regulations, now have every reason to use the same test used by the regulators themselves." "VICAM's full line of mycotoxin and microbiological test kits have enjoyed the preference of Latin American food and feed producers for many years,” said Diego Montemayor, VICAM Latin American Territory Manager. “The fact that the USDA has mandated use of VICAM’s AflaTest at its grain inspection sites only reinforces the confidence that both private industry and governments in Latin America have historically placed in all of the VICAM products." About Aflatoxin Aflatoxin, a toxin from a naturally occurring mold, is a Group 1 carcinogen proven to cause cancer in humans. Throughout the world, there are significant regulations on the presence of aflatoxins in food, feed, and grain. The US federal government action level for aflatoxin is 20 ppb (parts per billion). About AflaTest AflaTest from VICAM is the trusted aflatoxin test that produces precise numerical results. Using monoclonal affinity chromatography, AflaTest can isolate aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 from feeds, foods and grains at levels as low as 0.1 ppb and as high as 300 ppb. It can be performed in less than 10 minutes and requires no special skills. Results may be recorded using a digital fluorometer readout with automatic printing devices. AflaTest is also ideal as the cleanup step for any HPLC analysis.