Abstract
Background: Samples of blood, kidney, and liver per animal were randomly selected from slaughtered pigs (n=60) and analyzed for ochratoxin A. Methods: Determination of ochratoxin A concentration in samples of kidney and liver was performed by high-performance thinlayer chromatography after immunoaffnity column clean up, while for plasma samples, a spectrofluorometric procedure was used. Results: Of the 60 plasma samples, 60% contained ochratoxin A in the range of 2.5-33.3 ng/mL (mean 3.05?5.0 ng/mL), while the incidence of ochratoxin A in kidneys and liver were very similar (70% and 65%). The average ochratoxin A concentration in liver was 3.2?4.35 ng/g (1.2-19.5 ng/g) and in kidneys was 3.97?4.47 ng/g (1.3-22.0 ng/g). A statistically significant difference (p<0.01) was found between region Backa Topola and Kovilj for both liver and kidney samples. In kidney samples originating from region Kovilj and Senta, a statistically significant difference (p<0.01) was found. Mean distribution followed the pattern: kidney>liver>serum (100>80.8>77%). The results from this survey indicated that there was a strong correlation between the ochratoxin A level in serum and liver as well as in the ochratoxin A serum in kidney (r=0.884 and r=0.896, respectively) while the strongest correlation was found between the ochratoxin A level in liver and in kidney (r=0.970). Conclusion: The results of present study show that pork tissues as well as pork products are considered an important source of ochratoxin A in humans.
Highlights
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a nephrotoxic mycotoxin produced by fungi such as Penicillium verrucosum and Aspergillus ochraceus [1]
The results of present study show that pork tissues as well as pork products are considered an important source of ochratoxin A in humans
The occurrence and distribution of ochratoxin A content into concentration ranges in tissues of slaughtered pigs in the region where samples were collected are summarized in Figure 1 and 2
Summary
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a nephrotoxic mycotoxin produced by fungi such as Penicillium verrucosum and Aspergillus ochraceus [1]. Animal-derived products and tissues for human consumption, especially those that include blood and kidney [6], may well present OTA residues even if the animal has been nourished with feeds contaminated with low levels of OTA. It is a potent renal carcinogen in rodents, causes mycotoxicosis in animals, and mycotoxin plays a special role in the genesis of swine mycotoxic nephropathy, a common disease in Scandinavia [4,7]. The purpose of this work was to monitor the presence of OTA in Serbian slaughtered swine, to investigate the regional distribution of OTA and to determine the distribution of OTA in edible tissues
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