LOWERING OF OCHRATOXIN-A LEVEL IN MILK BY YOGURT BACTERIA AND BIFIDOBACTERIA

A decrease in the content of ochratoxin A (OA) was observed in milk sa mples fermented by yoghurt bacteria and bifidobacteria. OA was added t o the milk before fermentation at a rate of 0.05-1.5 mg/L. No residues of OA were found in samples containing 0.05 and 0.1 mg/L of OA, ferme nted by S. salivarius subsp. thermophilus, L. delbrueckii subsp. bulga ricus and B. bifidum. Yoghurt bacteria (S. salivarius subsp. thermophi lus and L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus) were the most effective sinc e no residues wen detected even in fermented samples containing origin ally 0.5 mg/L OA.