Comparative Quantification by HPLC-FLD of Ochratoxin production by Aspergillus ochraceous MTCC 4643

Abstract

Ochratoxin is a mycotoxin produced by Penicillium and Aspergillus species in different food grains, when it it is kept in hot and humid environmental conditions. Ochratoxins are known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic and immunosuppressive in nature. Ochratoxins occur more frequently in cold environment condition but some strain of A. niger and A. ochraceous were able to grow in tropical and subtropical climates, which is same as of India. The deterioration of stored food grain with A. niger and A. ochraceous reported in higher amount as compared to other ochratoxicogenic fungal species. This form of contamination has a direct impact on human staple foods and is linked to illness caused by ochratoxin contamination. Because ochratoxin has a high tolerance limit in humans, it is not easily recognized and causes long-term problems such as cancer associated with liver and kidney. The present study focuses on the production of ochratoxin on known MTCC toxicogenic strain of MTCC 4643 A. ochraceous in different semisynthetic and natural media. The concentration of ochratoxin by HPLC-FLD is found to be greater in coffee medium with 35% moisture content than in rice medium with 35% moisture content and SKMY medium. As a result, the coffee medium may be employed as a suitable natural substrate for the generation of ochratoxin in greater quantities than other current synthetic media. Also it is found to be cost effective as compared to synthetic or semisynthetic medium.