Ochratoxins food contamination

Reddy L, Bhoola K. 2010. Ochratoxins-food contaminants impact on human health. Toxins (Basel) 2(4) 771-779. 

Abarca, M. L., Accensi, F., Bragulat, M. R., Castella, G., and Cabanes, F. J. (2003). Aspergillus carbonarius as the main source of ochratoxin A contamination in dried vine fruits from the Spanish market. /. Food Prot. 66,504-506. 

Immunoaffinity chromatography is one of the most popular techniques of affinity derivatived method and it enables to produce ligands in case the ligand required is not available [7]. In this technique, stationary phase comprises of an antibody or antibody-related agent [1]. It is possible to isolate variable subtances using this technique due to high specifity of antibodies [1]. It is reported that immunoaffinity chromatography may be used for natural food contaminants such as aflatoxins, fumonisins and ochratoxins [11]. 

Petkova-Bocharova T, Castegnaro M Ochratoxin A contamination of cereals in an area of high incidence of Balkan endemic nephropathy in Bulgaria. Food Addit Contam 1985 2 267-270. 

Another important and widespread fungal toxin is ochratoxin, which is also found in cereals and, to a lesser extent, in coffee and cocoa beans. The toxin Ochratoxin A is the most commonly found and is produced by the Aspergillus t5rpe of fungus. Exposure occurs in many countries in Europe and affects farm animals as well as humans. The major toxic effect in both humans and animals is kidney damage and cancer of the kidney. The available epidemiological evidence indicates that the disease called Balkan nephropathy is associated with consumption of food contaminated with ochratoxin, and the toxin has been detected in the blood of people living... 

For this evaluation, the Committee considered new toxicological studies that had become available since the last evaluation these included further studies on developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, nephrotoxicity and geno-toxicity and studies on the mode of action of ochratoxin A in the kidney. The Committee also considered the opinion on ochratoxin A in human food published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2006 (European Food Safety Authority, 2006). New data on analytical methods, sampling protocols and the effects of processing were also considered, together with methods of prevention and control and levels and patterns of food contamination. A new dietary exposure assessment was conducted, and the impact of different MLs for cereals was considered. 

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Consiglio Nationals delle Ricerche (CNR), Italy, and information regarding the contamination of cocoa and coffee beans was submitted by Cote d Ivoire. Table 8 describes the various aspects of the distribution of ochratoxin A contamination in cereals. 

Bomet A., Teissedre P.L., 2008. Chitosan, chitin-glucan and chitin effects on minerals (iron, lead, cadmium) and organic (ochratoxin A) contaminants in wines. Eur. Food Res. Technol. 226 681-689. 

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a my cotoxin produced by some species of Penicillium and Aspergillus. It is nephrotoxic to all animal species tested and the causal agent of mycotoxic porcine nephropathy (Krogh, 1978). It was previously associated with the human renal disorder, Balcan endemic nephropathy (BEN), and tumours of the urinary tract (Pfohl-Leszkowicz et al., 2002). Recently, another endemic kidney disease (Tunisian chronic interstitial nephropathy, CIN) was linked to OTA-contaminated food (Creppy, 1999 Wafa et al.,... 

It has long been established that ochratoxin can be transferred to body fluids and eggs. Important ochratoxin-contaminated foods, in which the effects of processing have been studied, are cereals and coffee. Delay in drying grain after harvesting results in an increase of ochratoxin. 

Osborne, B.G. et al.. The effects of milling and processing on wheat contaminated with ochratoxin A, Food Addit. Contain., 13, 141, 1996. 

Maximum residue levels in certain foods are set for the following contaminants nitrate, my cotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, pamlin, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, fumonisins, T -2 and HT-2-toxin), metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, inorganic tin), 3-MCPD (3-monochloro-propane-l,2-diol), dioxins and PCBs, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (benzo(a)pyrene) (EC 2007c). 

Ochratoxin A—Toxicological Evaluation of Certain Food Additives and Contaminants, WHO Food Additives Series 35, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva, 1996, pp. 363-376. 

Council Regulation 315/93 lays down Community procedures for establishing maximum limits for contaminants (other than pesticide and veterinary drug residues) in food. The Scientific Committee for Food must be consulted on all questions which may have an effect on public health and this committee carries out the toxicological evaluations which underpin the limits set for contaminants. The scientific data which form the basis of the evaluations are obtained mainly from the scientific literature and from the Member States. Data on human exposure to contaminants, such as nitrates, cadmium, aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, have been collected and collated in projects in the programme on scientific co-operation between the Member States (known as SCOOP). 

Aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, patulin, nivalenol, deoxynivalenol, fumonisins and zearalenone have been evaluated by the Scientific Committee for Food. The question of maximum levels for some of these mycotoxins in foodstuffs has been discussed for several years in the Committee of Experts - Working Party on Agricultural Contaminants under DG VI (now under DG SANCO). Proposals from this committee are then considered by the Standing Committee on Foodstuffs, prior to adoption by the Commission as Commission Regulations. 

Within the Codex system, the contaminants considered in this section are mainly dealt with by the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants (CCFAC), which is hosted by the Netherlands. Many of the Member States of the European Union are very active in CCFAC. For example, Denmark and the Netherlands have been instrumental in developing the Codex General Standard on Contaminants and Toxins and draft limits for lead in various foods. Sweden has developed a proposal for a limit for ochratoxin A in cereals and cereal products and France has proposed a maximum level for patulin in apple juice. 

Curtui, V.G., Gareis, M., Usleber, E., and Artlbauer, E.M. 2001. Survey of Romanian slaughtered pigs for the occurrence of mycotoxins ochratoxins A and B, and zearalenone. Food Addit Contaminants. Part A. 18(8) 730-738. 

The mycotoxins with the greatest potential risk to human and animal health as food and feed contaminants are AFs, trichothecenes, fiimonisins, zearalenone, ochratoxin A, and ergot alkaloids.109 Other mycotoxins such as cyclopiazonic acid, sterigmatocystin, gliotoxin, citrinin, penitrems, patulin, fusarin C, penicillic acid, and PR... 

The various contaminations in foods are due to the presence of compounds dangerous for consumer health or that affect organoleptic characteristics of the product. Ochratoxin A (OTA) and biogenic amines are dangerous for human health, and their legal limits are fixed in grape and wine. Due to their negative sensory properties and very low sensory thresholds, 2,4,6-trichloroanisole and ethylphenols have to be practically absent in wine, or present at as low a level as is possible. 

Mycotoxin contamination of foods may cause considerable economic losses. On a global perspective, aflatoxins in tree nuts, dry fruits, and spices, Fusarium toxins in cereals (particularly maize, wheat, and barley), and ochratoxin A in cereals and coffee are of major importance (Bhat and Vasanthi, 1999). Regional problems also may arise from mycotoxins in fruits such as patulin in apples, ochratoxin A in grapes and dried vine fruits, or aflatoxins in different dried fruits. 

European Commission (Directorate-General, Health and Consumer, Protection) 2002a. Assessment of dietary intake of Ochratoxin A by the population of EU Member States, http //europa.eu.int/ comm/food/food/chemicalsafety/contaminants/task 3-2-7 en.pdf March 5, 2004. 

This mycotoxin resides in contaminated wheat, maze, oats, cheese and meat products. Although ochratoxin can be found everywhere in the world the regions most threatened with contamination of some types of foods are Europe and Africa. 

Shreeve, B. J., Patterson, D. S. P., and Roberts, B. A. (1979). The carry-over of alflatoxin, ochratoxin and zearalenone from naturally contaminated feed to tissues, urine and milk of dairy cows. Food Cosmet. Toxicol. 17, 151-152. 

New data from surveys of food commodities for contamination with ochratoxin A were also considered, and intakes were estimated forvarious countries and regions of the world. From estimates based mainly on European data, the Committee noted that the intake of ochratoxin A by 95th percentile consumers of cereals may approach the PTWI from this source alone. Given the distribution of contamination of cereals with ochratoxin A, the Committee concluded that application of a maximum limit (ML) of 5 or 20 pg/kg would make no significant difference to the average intake. Efforts were needed to ensure that intakes of ochratoxin A did not exceed the PTWI, and the Committee considered that this could... 

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