Main activities during the 6th period (01.01.-31.03.2019.):

• Mycotoxin assessment in mould cheeses was continued within WP2 activity: instrumental and sample preparation parameters of the developed method for the mycotoxin analysis in blue/white mould cheeses were optimised. The TOFMS detector replaced by MS/MS, which resulted in improved signal intensity of analyte detection. The sample preparation for white mould cheeses was optimised to increase the stability of cyclopiazonic acid and other mycotoxins and precision for the determination in samples of analysis.
• Occurrence studies were completed and included more than 80 cheese samples that resulted in data set of mycotoxin contents in mould cheeses. Based on those results, an abstract “Multimycotoxin analysis in blue and white mould cheeses marketed in Latvia” was submitted for the participation by a poster presentation in the international conference 41st Mycotoxin Workshop (WP2, milestone 2.1).
• Literature research of cheese contaminants has shown that biogenic amines are associated with the spread of mycotoxins, and that these compounds at high concentrations can be determined in mould cheeses. Six biogenic amine standards were purchased within planned studies in the project and the experiments on their determination were performed.
• A scientific publication “Occurrence of Mycotoxins in Herbal Teas Marketed in Latvia” was accepted for the publication in Food Additives & Contaminants: Part B (WP2, planned M 2.4).
• An interim report was prepared and submitted for the evaluation by the foreign reviewers.
• Interim period activities were reported in ResearchGate and Mendeley researcher social networks (WP4, M. 4.2).

The cooperation institution is The State Education Development Agency (SEDA). Project duration is 36 months. Total costs are 133 806 EUR where 85% is financed by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). 

The report was prepared on 27.03.2019.