La métrologie au service d'une alimentation sûre : comment le BIPM contribue à protéger la santé de tous
World Food Safety Day – 7 June 2025
When you sit down to eat, you rarely think about the precise science that ensures your food is safe. But for scientists working in national metrology institutes (NMIs) around the world, measurement is a frontline defence—particularly when it comes to invisible but dangerous threats like mycotoxins.
Mycotoxins—naturally occurring toxic compounds produced by certain moulds—can contaminate everyday foodstuffs such as cereals, nuts and fruits. Exposure can lead to serious health risks and disrupt international trade when different countries apply inconsistent testing standards.
Since 2016, the BIPM has worked with NMIs and Designated Institutes (DIs) to:
Coordinate international comparisons of mycotoxin calibration standards.
Develop and publish methods for reference material characterization.
Build critical measurement capabilities through hands-on secondments and training.
From lab bench to food chain
At the heart of this work is the BIPM’s qNMR facility, which (to-date) has hosted over a dozen visiting scientists from five continents. These experts receive intensive training in producing and validating reference materials—skills they return home with to strengthen national capabilities and local testing labs.
The programme has supported the development of calibration standards for several high-risk toxins: aflatoxin B1, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, patulin, and ochratoxin A—each essential for reliable food safety monitoring.
The results of the programme—new Certified Reference Materials, published Purity Evaluation Guidelines and Calibrant Assessment Guidelines, and peer-reviewed technical papers—are already supporting food safety systems across Latin America, Africa, Asia and beyond.
Photo: The purity of mycotoxin primary reference materials being measured with quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR)
Supporting international alignment
By coordinating key comparisons of calibration solutions, the BIPM helps ensure that mycotoxin measurements are equivalent from one country to the next. This technical equivalence is the foundation for mutual trust between regulators and helps reduce barriers to trade—an essential part of the food safety ecosystem.
Making knowledge accessible
In addition to on-site training, the BIPM now offers online learning modules through its e-learning platform, expanding access to mycotoxin metrology resources globally.
Celebrating 150 years of measurement science
As the BIPM marks its 150th anniversary, its role in helping countries meet the measurement challenges of food safety remains as vital as ever. From improving public health outcomes to ensuring fair market access, the science of measurement continues to deliver real-world impact.
