Table of Contents
How is an ochratoxin formed?
Ochratoxin A is produced by several species of Aspergillus and Penicillium and is a common food-contaminating mycotoxin. Contamination of food commodities, such as cereals and cereal products, coffee beans, dry vine fruits, wine and grape juice, spices and liquorice, occurs worldwide.
What molds produce ochratoxin A?
INTRODUCTION. Ochratoxins and citrinin are produced by several species of genera Aspergillus and Penicillium. The two most common species that produce ochratoxin A (OTA) are Aspergillus ochraceus and Penicillium verrucosum.
Can mycotoxins grow?
Mycotoxin-producing fungi can invade and grow on many agricultural crops, particularly in hot, humid climates or as a result of poor agricultural practices.
How long does ochratoxin A stay in the body?
OTA is found in serum due to its long elimination half-life of about 35 days (Studer-Rohr et al., 2000), and is excreted in urine as both unchanged OTA and its derivatives.
Is ochratoxin A black mold?
Ochratoxin A is defined as “a mycotoxin produced by secondary metabolism of many filamentous species belonging to the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium.” These mold species can create the toxin when the temperature and moisture levels are just right, and in food safety terms OTA is considered a chemical contaminant.
What are symptoms of ochratoxin A?
Ochratoxin A can cause immunosuppression and immunotoxicity in animals. The toxin’s immunosuppressant activity in animals may include depressed antibody responses, reduced size of immune organs (such as the thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes), changes in immune cell number and function, and altered cytokine production.
How do I get rid of ochratoxin A?
Treatment of ochratoxin A requires a reduction in exposure to the toxin. The World Health Organisation advise the consumer to: Carefully inspect whole grains and nuts for evidence of mould, and discard any that look mouldy, discoloured, or shriveled.
How do you get rid of ochratoxin?
Is ochratoxin A bad?
Ochratoxin A has been shown to be toxic and carcinogenic in animals. The kidney is the main target organ for ochratoxin A. Other adverse effects include: Liver toxin.
How can ochratoxin be prevented?
The only way to avoid drinking OTA is to choose coffee that was never contaminated in the first place. That means only choosing coffee that is laboratory tested for OTA. Purity Coffee does not and will not purchase any green coffee unless it tests free of Ochratoxin and Aflatoxin.
Is ochratoxin A BAD FOR YOU?
Impact on human and animal health Ochratoxin A is potentially carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B), and has been shown to be weakly mutagenic, possibly by induction of oxidative DNA damage.
What foods contain ochratoxin A?
Besides cereals and cereal products, ochratoxin A is also found in a range of other food commodities, including coffee, cocoa, wine, beer, pulses, spices, dried fruits, grape juice, pig kidney and other meat and meat products of non-ruminant animals exposed to feedstuffs contaminated with this mycotoxin.
What are the health effects of ochratoxin A?
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by several fungal species including Aspergillus ochraceus, A. carbonarius, A. niger and Penicillium verrucosum. OTA causes nephrotoxicity and renal tumors in a variety of animal species; however, human health effects are less well-characterized.
What kind of mycotoxin is ochratoxin A?
Ochratoxin A is the most common of three ochratoxins: A, B, and C. Ochratoxin A is defined as “a mycotoxin produced by secondary metabolism of many filamentous species belonging to the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium.”
What foods can ochratoxin A be found in?
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a naturally occurring foodborne mycotoxin found in a wide variety of agricultural commodities worldwide, ranging from cereal grains to dried fruits to wine and coffee. It is produced by several different fungi including Aspergillus ochraceus, A. carbonarius, A. niger and Penicillium verrucosum.
What kind of fungi produce ochratoxin and citrinin?
Ochratoxins and citrinin are produced by several species of genera Aspergillus and Penicillium. The two most common species that produce ochratoxin A (OTA) are Aspergillus ochraceus and Penicillium verrucosum. These fungi are ubiquitous and the potential for contamination of animal feed and human food is widespread.