Levels of ochratoxin A in wheat and maize bread from the central zone of Portugal

• Published in: International journal of food microbiology Vol. 127; no. 3; pp. 284 - 289
• Main Authors: Juan, C., Pena, A., Lino, C., Moltó, J.C., Mañes, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 31.10.2008; [Amsterdam; New York, NY]: Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Bread - analysis; breads; Cereal and baking product industries; Chromatography, Liquid; Consumer Product Safety; corn bread; corn flour; corn products; food contamination; Food Contamination - analysis; Food industries; Food Microbiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Incidence; LC-MS-MS; LC–FD; liquid chromatography; Maize bread; mass spectrometry; maximum residue limits; Ochratoxin A; Ochratoxins - administration & dosage; Ochratoxins - analysis; Ochratoxins - isolation & purification; Portugal; quantitative analysis; Triticum - chemistry; Triticum aestivum; Wheat bread; wheat flour; wheat products; Zea mays; Zea mays - chemistry; Portugal; Europe; Maize bread; Ochratoxin A; Wheat bread; LC–FD; LC-MS-MS; Bakery product; Ochratoxin; Mycotoxin; Corn; Liquid chromatography; Bread; Toxin; Cereal product; Cereal; LC-FD; Wheat
• ISSN: 0168-1605; 1879-3460
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2008.07.018

Ochratoxigenic fungi are natural contaminants of cereal and the produced toxins are harmful to humans and animals. Ochratoxin A (OTA) is among the most important mycotoxins, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies it as possibly carcinogenic to humans (group 2B). A total of 61 samples of bread from the central zone of Portugal were analysed for OTA by liquid chromatography (LC) with fluorescence detection (FD). For confirmation two procedures were applied, methyl ester derivatization with boron trifluoride–methanol and liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI/MS/MS). As far as we know, this is the first report where on-line LC/electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) was used for OTA analysis in bread. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.015 and 0.03 ng/g, using LC–FD, and 0.03 and 0.09 ng/g by LC-MS/MS. The incidence of OTA was 12.9% and 70.0% for wheat and maize bread, respectively. The highest OTA levels were obtained for maize bread, having one sample exceeded the European maximum limit established for OTA in cereal products. The estimate daily intake (EDI) was below the tolerable daily intake.