Ochratoxin A in some Portuguese wines: Method validation and screening in Port Wine and Vinho Verde

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus and Penicillium f ungi, which has been reported over the past few years as existing in wines, especially those from tropical and temperate climates. A growing concern w ithin consumer protection groups is for promoting the monitoring of this co mpound in an enlarged group of wines. The aim of this work was to validate the methodology of analysis of ochratoxin A in wines by HPLC with fluoresce nce detection and to evaluate its presence in some quality wines from the n orthern region of Portugal - Port Wine and Vinho Verde. Detection limit of the method was 0.02 ng/mL, intermediate precision was 8.9% as CV%, and reco very, for standard addition to a sample, ranged between 87% and 107%. Sixty -four samples of adulterated Port Wines and Vinho 2Verde wines were analyze d. OTA was not detected in any of the Port Wine or Vinho Verde samples. OTA was only detected in three of the adulterated samples, but at levels not e xceeding 0.08 ng/mL.