Abstract
Ochratoxins are produced by Aspergillus ochraceus and Penicillium verrucosum and citrinin is produced by Penicillium citrinum . These mycotoxins occur naturally in the environment and thereby commonly contaminate food/feed. Among ochratoxins, ochratoxin A (OTA) occurs with greatest frequency and is the most toxic. Citrinin co-occurs usually with OTA. OTA and citrinin cause nephropathy in animals and birds and they have also been implicated as the cause of Balkan Endemic Nephropathy in humans. OTA is at least ten times more toxic than ochratoxin B (OTB), ochratoxin C (OTC) or citrinin. In addition to nephrotoxicity, OTA is known to cause hepatotoxicity, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity, teratogenicity and carcinogenicity, involving multiple mechanisms. OTA causes inhibition of protein synthesis, mitochondrial respiration and ATP formation. It also increases lipid peroxidation and formation of free radicals. Both OTA and citrinin are reproductive toxicants. This chapter describes the toxicity of ochratoxins and citrinin in mammalian and avian species.
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