DETECTION OF OCHRATOXIN-A IN HUMAN BLOOD AND COLOSTRUM

Ochratoxin A (OA) is one of the most frequent sources of mycotoxin con tamination of feed plants in Hungary. It is produced by 10% of Aspergi llus and 12% of Penicillium species, i.e. by the widely occurring ''co mmonest'' mould species. Human exposure to mycotoxins closely resemble s that of swine. Fifty-two cut of 100 human blood samples collected at random (52%) were found to contain ochratoxin A (0.2-12.9 ng/ml). Rec ent studies have clearly shown that OA has mutagenic, teratogenic and carcinogenic effects. Sensitivity to mycotoxins is known to be inverse ly related to age. Therefore, it was considered important to test huma n colostrum samples for OA content. Thirty-eight out of 92 colostrum s amples (41.3%) collected from women in the first 24 hours post partum contained ochratoxin A (0.2-7.3 ng/ml). The HPLC method applied in thi s study is described in detail.