Appropriate sampling to aid on-farm assessments of the haplotype composition of Zymoseptoria tritici populations.

Background: Zymoseptoria tritici causes Septoria tritici blotch (STB), which is the biggest threat to wheat in the UK. Azole fungicides have been used since the 1980s to control STB, but resistance to these chemicals is now widespread. The main resistance mechanism is based on the accumulation of CYP51 mutations, with 33 mutations reported.

Integrating High throughput Sequencing into Survey Design Reveals Turnip Yellows Virus and Soybean Dwarf Virus in Pea () in the United Kingdom.

There is only limited knowledge of the presence and incidence of viruses in peas within the United Kingdom, therefore high-throughput sequencing (HTS) in combination with a bulk sampling strategy and targeted testing was used to determine the virome in cultivated pea crops. Bulks of 120 leaves collected from twenty fields from around the UK were initially tested by HTS, and presence and incidence of virus was then determined using specific real-time reverse-transcription PCR assays by testing smaller mixed-bulk size samples. This study presents the first finding of turnip yellows virus (TuYV) in peas in the UK and the first finding of soybean dwarf virus (SbDV) in the UK.

Variation in Inspection Efficacy by Member States of Wood Packaging Material Entering the European Union.

The use of wood packaging materials (WPMs) in international trade is recognized as a pathway for the movement of invasive pests and as the origin of most introductions of Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Europe and North America. Following several pest interceptions on WPM associated with stone imports from China, the European Union (EU) agreed to survey certain categories of imports based on the EU Combined Nomenclature Codes for imports, which are based on the international Harmonized System. Between April 2013 and March 2015, 72,263 relevant consignments were received from China in the EU and 26,008 were inspected.

Abundance of badgers (Meles meles) in England and Wales.

The European badger (Meles meles) is of considerable interest in the UK as it is both a protected species and the main wildlife reservoir for bovine tuberculosis infection in cattle. While there have been three national badger surveys in the 1980s, 1990s and 2011-13, using the number of badger main setts as a proxy for the abundance of badger social groups, none has combined contemporary data on social group size at landscape and national scales. We estimated social group size by genotyping hair samples collected at 120 main setts across England and Wales and employing a capture-mark-recapture method based on genotypes.

Variability of residue concentrations of ciprofloxacin in honey from treated hives.

Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) were treated with a model veterinary drug compound (ciprofloxacin) in a 3-year study (2012-14) to investigate the variability of residue concentration in honey. Sucrose solution containing ciprofloxacin was administered to 45 hives (1 g of ciprofloxacin per hive) at the beginning of the honey flow in late May/mid-June 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Carrot yellow leaf virus is associated with carrot internal necrosis.

Internal necrosis of carrot has been observed in UK carrots for at least 10 years, and has been anecdotally linked to virus infection. In the 2009 growing season some growers had up to 10% of yield with these symptoms. Traditional diagnostic methods are targeted towards specific pathogens.

Density and abundance of badger social groups in England and Wales in 2011-2013.

In the United Kingdom, European badgers Meles meles are a protected species and an important wildlife reservoir of bovine tuberculosis. We conducted a survey of badger dens (main setts) in 1614 1 km squares across England and Wales, between November 2011 and March 2013. Using main setts as a proxy for badger social groups, the estimated mean density of badger social groups in England and Wales was 0.

An inter-laboratory validation of a multiplex dipstick assay for four classes of antibiotics in honey.

In this paper, we report the inter-laboratory validation (ILV) of a recently developed indirect competitive multiplex dipstick (Bee4sensor®) which is capable of the simultaneous detection of residues of some of the most frequently detected antibiotic residues in honey: sulfonamides, tylosin, fluoroquinolones and chloramphenicol. The multi-sensor dipstick can be interpreted via visual observation or by an instrumental measurement of four test lines. Statistical analysis of the ILV data demonstrated that the multi-sensor can reliably detect the presence of sulfathiazole at 25 μg kg(-1) and tylosin at 10 μg kg(-1), which fully meet the 'recommended concentrations' of the EU.

Generic approach to validation of small-molecule LC-MS/MS biomarker assays.

Background: While the regulatory guidelines that describe the validation requirements for small molecules are very comprehensive, they are written primarily for xenobiotic drug molecules. However, the presence of endogenous analyte in control matrix presents an added analytical challenge that must be overcome if small-molecule biomarker assays are to be developed and characterized, especially where downregulation of analyte concentrations is expected.

Experimental: A generic surrogate matrix calibration protocol has been successfully applied to the measurement of a number of small-molecule exploratory biomarkers using LC-MS/MS.

Construction of measurement uncertainty profiles for quantitative analysis of genetically modified organisms based on interlaboratory validation data.

A method is presented for estimating the size of uncertainty associated with the measurement of products derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The method is based on the uncertainty profile, which is an extension, for the estimation of uncertainty, of a recent graphical statistical tool called an accuracy profile that was developed for the validation of quantitative analytical methods. The application of uncertainty profiles as an aid to decision making and assessment of fitness for purpose is also presented.

Simultaneous determination of six major ergot alkaloids and their epimers in cereals and foodstuffs by LC-MS-MS.

This paper describes a new and rapid method for accurate quantification of the six ergot alkaloids, ergometrine, ergotamine, ergosine, ergocristine, ergocryptine, and ergocornine, by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). The six ergot alkaloids studied have been defined by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as among the most common and physiologically active ones. In addition, the method enables the quantification of the corresponding six epimers (ergo-inines) of these ergot alkaloids.

Measurement uncertainty associated with sample processing of oranges and tomatoes for pesticide residue analysis.

The homogeneity of analytical samples and the stability of pesticides during the sample processing of oranges and tomatoes were evaluated. The mean concentrations of 14C-labeled chlorpyrifos in analytical portions (subsamples) after processing show that homogeneity is dependent on sample type as well as the processing procedure. The homogeneity of analytical samples of tomatoes processed cryogenically was much better than those processed at ambient temperature.

Statistical modelling as an aid to the design of retail sampling plans for mycotoxins in food.

A study has been carried out to assess appropriate statistical models for use in evaluating retail sampling plans for the determination of mycotoxins in food. A compound gamma model was found to be a suitable fit. A simulation model based on the compound gamma model was used to produce operating characteristic curves for a range of parameters relevant to retail sampling.

Single laboratory validation of a method for the determination of hydroxymethylfurfural in honey by using solid-phase extraction cleanup and liquid chromatography.

A method is described for the determination of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in honey. The method, which is based on solid-phase extraction cleanup followed by liquid chromatography (LC) with UV absorbance detection, was tested on a variety of different honey types: liquid, set, blended, filtered, crystalline, and comb honey. A sample of honey fortified with a known amount of HMF acted as an in-house reference material.

Method validation of resistive heating--gas chromatography with flame photometric detection for the rapid screening of organophosphorus pesticides in fruit and vegetables.

A rapid method for the screening of organophosphorus (OP) pesticides in fruit and vegetables is reported. Sample extracts were analysed using resistive heating-gas chromatography (RH-GC) with flame photometric detection (FPD). A CarboFrit insert in the GC liner allowed injection of crude extracts onto the GC system.

Application of uncertainty analysis in assessing dietary exposure.

Conventional approaches for assessing dietary exposure to contaminants and additives in food are deterministic, using point estimates for consumption and contamination. In reality, both consumption and contamination are variable. Furthermore our knowledge of them is uncertain, e.