Search

International audience; The present survey examined 30 samples of rice (n=10), maize (n=10) and peanuts (n=10) from Côte d'Ivoire for aflatoxin B1, fumonisin B1 and zearalenone using immuno-assays, and ochratoxinA using a validated HPLC-florimetric method. Similarly to some other countries it appeared that in Côte d'Ivoire several mycotoxins are present in the same commodities. These mycotoxins are from different structural families: aflatoxin B1, fumonisin B1, zearalenone, and ochratoxin A. There are normally produced by fungal species from Aspergillus, Penicilium and Fusarium genera. Some samples contain four mycotoxins (86%). Four peanuts samples do not show ochratoxin A (14%) whereas they contain threatening aflatoxin B1 concentrations, above the EU regulatory limits and exceeding tolerable daily intake. The concentrations of ochratoxin A, zearalenone and fumonisin B1 are low and may not cause problem per se however fears remain for possible excess of tolerable daily intake due to eating habits and synergism with the combination of several mycotoxins. Investigations in this direction are underway together with isolation and characterization of fungal species involved.

International audience; Ochratoxin A (OTA) produced by Aspergillus and Penicillium genera contaminates a diversity of foods including cereals; cereals-derived foods; dry fruits; beans; cocoa; coffee; beer; wine; and foodstuffs of animal origin mainly poultry, eggs, pork and milk, including human breast milk. OTA is nephrotoxic to all animal species studied so far and most likely to humans, who show the longest half-life for elimination of this toxin among all species examined. Among other toxic effects, OTA is teratogenic, immunotoxic, genotoxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic, all of which lead to life-threatening pathologies through several molecular pathways. In Côte d'Ivoire, preliminary surveys conducted by us have proven from 1998 to 2004 the reality of ochratoxin A-contamination of foodstuffs. To assess OTA in human blood, the immunoaffinity columns were used along with HPLC for separation and fluorimetric quantification of blood samples collected in Abidjan from two categories of people: apparently healthy donors (n=63) and nephropathy patients undergoing dialysis (n=39). Among healthy donors, 34.9% show OTA concentrations ranging from 0.01 - 5.81 microg/l with a mean value of 0.83 microg/l, whereas, among nephropathy patients undergoing dialysis 20.5% are OTA positive in a range of 0.167-2.42 microg/l and a mean value of 1.05. Although the sex ratio is 0.82 (46 females for 56 males) ochratoxin A contamination is equally distributed in both sexes. Nephropathy patients undergoing dialysis appear, however, less frequently contaminated than healthy donors (20.5 versus 34.9%) and show higher OTA concentrations (higher mean value, p=0.01). Ochratoxin A concentrations found in human blood reflect concentrations previously detected in cereals and peanuts according to the eating habits and diets of people in Côte d'Ivoire. But, the prevalence of ochratoxin A in blood of nephropathy people undergoing dialysis appears lower than expected from the frequency of OTA contamination in cereals and peanuts. Pearson chi(2)-test indicates that among OTA-positive individuals renal dialysis and age are important modalities for consideration.