Occurrence of Ochratoxin A in Different Types of Cheese Offered for Sale in Italy

Bibliographic Details
Title: Occurrence of Ochratoxin A in Different Types of Cheese Offered for Sale in Italy
Authors: Alberto Altafini, Paola Roncada, Alessandro Guerrini, Gaetan Minkoumba Sonfack, Giorgio Fedrizzi, Elisabetta Caprai
Source: Toxins, Vol 13, Iss 8, p 540 (2021)
Publisher Information: MDPI AG, 2021.
Publication Year: 2021
Collection: LCC:Medicine
Subject Terms: ochratoxin A, cheese, food safety, LC-MS/MS, Medicine
More Details: The detection of Ochratoxin A (OTA) in the milk of ruminants occurs infrequently and at low levels, but its occurrence may be higher in dairy products such as cheese. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of OTA in cheeses purchased in the metropolitan city of Bologna (Italy) and the surrounding area. For the analysis, a LC-MS/MS method with a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 1 µg/kg was used. OTA was detected in seven out of 51 samples of grated hard cheese (concentration range 1.3–22.4 µg/kg), while it was not found in the 33 cheeses of other types which were also analysed. These data show a low risk of OTA contamination for almost all types of cheese analysed. To improve the safety of cheese marketed in grated form, more regulations on cheese rind, which is the part most susceptible to OTA-producing moulds, should be implemented or, alternatively, producers should consider not using the rind as row material for grated cheese. It would be interesting to continue these investigations particularly on grated hard cheeses to have more data to update the risk assessment of OTA in cheese, as also suggested by EFSA in its 2020 scientific opinion on OTA.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2072-6651
Relation: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/13/8/540; https://doaj.org/toc/2072-6651
DOI: 10.3390/toxins13080540
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/ab48e541ff524c3590a0b7861e7258f5
Accession Number: edsdoj.b48e541ff524c3590a0b7861e7258f5
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
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More Details
ISSN:20726651
DOI:10.3390/toxins13080540
Published in:Toxins
Language:English