Protocol Monitoring Aflatoxin B1 in maize and by-products of maize - Harvest 2026/2027

With the forthcoming new maize harvest, the classification of countries also takes into account information on growing and harvesting conditions. In addition, consideration has been given to countries where a possible mix with old (2025) harvest from high- or medium risk countries could pose a risk to feed safety. 

Based on these criteria, it was decided that at the beginning of the 2026 harvest year all countries should initially be classified as medium risk, with the exception of:

• 18 countries have been classified as low risk.

• 4 countries, Brazil, Serbia, Bulgaria and Hungary, have been classified as high risk.

According to the re-evaluation rules, countries that ended the previous harvest season as high risk automatically start the new season at the same level. Brazil, Serbia and Bulgaria retain their high-risk status for this reason. Hungary has been classified as high risk based on recently assessed information indicating concerns about the quality of the maize harvest.

Changed Risk Profiles:

• Hungary raised from medium to high

• Ukraine raised from low to medium

• Slovakia raised from low to medium

This means that maize originating from:

• Hungary must be analysed more frequently

• Ukraine must be analysed more frequently

• Slovakia must be analysed more frequently

This new risk profile takes effect as from 18 September 2026.

Note:
Maize originating from a country with High risk must be analysed more frequently, because the risk of the presence of Aflatoxin B1 is to be considered high.

Consult for more details TS1.7 Monitoring - Appendix Aflatoxin risk classification list.

We do it together!

To be able to reclassify countries, it is important for GMP+ participants to upload their analysis results to the GMP+ Monitoring database and to share it with our community.

Be careful

Incorrect analysis results in the database can affect the results of the evaluation and risk classification of the countries.

When uploading this information, please make sure that the origin of the maize is entered correctly and that the levels of Aflatoxin detected are entered with the correct unit (mg/kg).

- Ask your laboratory to report in the correct unit

Ask your laboratory to report the analysis results in the same unit as included in TS1.5 Specific Feed Safety Limits. For Aflatoxin the correct unit is mg/kg. This helps you when you check the result with the applicable feed safety limits in TS1.5 Specific Feed Safety Limits, but also helps you comply with the requirement of the GMP+ Monitoring database to report the result in this unit.

- If the analysis result is in ppb, you must first convert it to mg/kg.

Why is this important?

Analysing monitoring results is an important source for GMP+ International in determining potential risks. Also, it helps us developing FSP products that make you and the feed industry as a whole more resilient.

Previous changes in risk profiles

Since September 2025 the risk profiles of countries of origin have changed as follows: