FREESTYLE ThermELUTE™

Significance of the Topic

The automated analysis of mycotoxins such as aflatoxins and ochratoxin A addresses critical needs in food safety, regulatory compliance, and high-throughput laboratory workflows. By minimizing sample and solvent consumption and ensuring consistent detection at low ppt levels, laboratories can enhance efficiency, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness.

Objectives and Overview

This study evaluates the performance of the FREESTYLE ThermELUTE™ system coupled with HPLC-FLD for fully automated mycotoxin analysis. Key objectives include:

• Assess reproducibility across diverse food matrices
• Demonstrate sensitivity in both routine and stringent concentration ranges
• Verify elimination of cross-contamination between samples

Methodology

Samples of figs, raisins, parsley, and black tea were extracted using an 80:20 solvent mixture with sodium chloride and n-hexane, followed by filtration and PBS dilution. Aliquots were processed by the ThermELUTE™ module, where thermal denaturation releases toxins from SMART immunoaffinity columns and transfers the aqueous eluate directly into the HPLC sample loop. Each sample used a dedicated column to prevent carryover.

Used Instrumentation

• FREESTYLE ThermELUTE™ robotic system
• HPLC with fluorescence detector (FLD)
• SMART immunoaffinity columns (AflaCLEAN SMART, OtaCLEAN SMART, AflaCLEAN M1 SMART)

Main Results and Discussion

Reproducibility testing with five consecutive replicates at spiking levels of 10 ppb and 0.25 ppb total aflatoxin yielded highly consistent chromatographic overlays across all matrices. Detection limits reached the lower ppt range without additional concentration steps. Cross-contamination trials confirmed zero carryover when processing high-level and blank samples sequentially.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• High sample throughput (>70 samples/day; up to 120 samples/weekend)
• Excellent sensitivity and reproducibility at low ppt levels
• Reduced sample and solvent volumes via process miniaturization
• Reliable prevention of cross-contamination through single-use columns and thermal elution

Future Trends and Opportunities

Potential developments include integration with mass spectrometry for broader toxin panels, multiplexed immunoaffinity formats for simultaneous multi-mycotoxin screening, and AI-driven automation to optimize workflows and data quality.

Conclusion

The FREESTYLE ThermELUTE™ system offers a robust, fully automated solution for mycotoxin analysis, delivering rapid processing, superior sensitivity, and reproducibility while avoiding cross-contamination and reducing resource consumption.

References

• LCTech GmbH. FREESTYLE ThermELUTE™ Application Note AS002, November 2019.