Current importance of ochratoxin A-producing Aspergillus spp.

Ochratoxin A (OA) is receiving attention worldwide because of the hazard it poses to human and animal health. OA contamination of commodities, such as cereals or pork and poultry meat, is well recognized. Nevertheless, there is an increasing number of articles reporting OA contamination in other foo d commodities, such as coffee, beer, wine, grape juice, and milk, in the la st few years. This continuous and increasing exposure to OA that humans exp erience is reflected in the high incidence of OA in both human blood and mi lk in several countries. OA was believed to be produced only by Aspergillus ochraceus and closely related species of section Circumdati and by Penicil lium verrucosum; however, in the genus Aspergillus, the production of OA ha s been recently reported by species outside the section Circumdati. Thus, i t has been clearly established as a metabolite of different species of the section Nigri, such as Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus carbonarius. OA pr oduction ability by Aspergillus spp. is more widespread than previously tho ught; therefore, there is the possibility that unexpected species can be ne w sources of this mycotoxin in their natural substrates.