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Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin mainly produced by mould species of the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium, which grow on a variety of agricultural products. OTA-contaminated foodstuffs pose a major health hazard to consumers, including human and animal. In Cote d'Ivoire, numerous studies are being carried out to find the best way of preventing OTA contamination of cocoa raw material. The objectives of this investigation were to assess the impact of industrial treatment on OTA content in cocoa-derived products. Samples of cocoa pods were prepared under specific conditions promoting fungal proliferation on cocoa beans before processing. The beans underwent the usual industrial treatments - roasting, shelling, crushing, pressing and additive addition - and samples were taken at each stage. OTA was extracted with a methanol/3% sodium hydrogen carbonate solution and purified using an immunoaffinity column prior to HPLC analysis with fluorescence detection. OTA was detected in artificially contaminated cocoa beans at levels ranging from 3.4 to 44.7 microg kg(-1) with a mean value of 22.9 +/- 3.6 microg kg(-1). OTA was mainly concentrated in the shell (93%). Roasting, shelling and additive addition significantly decreased levels of OTA by 24-40, 76 and 52%, respectively, with an overall reduction of approximately 91%. These results indicate that industrial processing of cocoa has a real impact on the reduction of OTA in final cocoa products.

In a preliminary study, samples of millet (n=33) maize (n=41), rice (n=10) and peanuts (n=10) from Côte d'Ivoire were analysed for ochratoxin A (OTA) by HPLC with fluorimetric detection, followed by confirmation by cleavage of the OTA molecule using carboxypeptidase with HPLC separation and fluorimetric quantification of the released ochratoxin alpha (OTα). With the exception of four samples of peanuts, all samples showed OTA contamination, ranging from 3 to 1738 μg/kg. All cereals were contaminated and the OTA concentrations were in the range of 17-204 μg/kg for millet, 3-1738 μg/kg for maize, 9-92 μg/kg for rice and 0.6-64 μg/kg for peanuts, depending on the year of harvest. Most of the samples would not be accepted according to the EU regulatory limits for this mycotoxin. Following this survey, research for other mycotoxins and the evaluation of the exposure of the population is under-way.

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.