Determinación de ocratoxina A en plasma humano y su relación con el consumo de alimentos posiblemente contaminados.

Abstract

Ochratoxin A is a mycotoxin produced by several Aspergillus species and in less proportion by Penicillium species. The distribution of Ochratoxin A (OTA) in the environmental is widely known. It is possible to find it as contaminant of food like cereals and derivates, wine grapes, meat of pork and chicken and derivates like eggs. Several studies have demonstrated the presence of OTA in human and animal tissues and foods. The carcinogenic properties of OTA have contributed to fix maximum limits allowed for foods and human intake in several countries. In this work OTA production by three toxicogenic species was studied, using wheat as matrix. The result obtained can be used to apply adequate plans of food control to prevent the contamination of food by OTA. In the second part of this work, the presence of OTA in human plasma was determinate and it was compared with food consumption through an alimentary questionnaire. Finally, the comparison between two methodologies for the determination of Ochratoxin A in wheat was done. As part of this comparison some wheat samples were analyzed with the objective to know about the presence of OTA in the Chilean food. In Chile does not exist information about the presence of this mycotoxin in food and human tissue, for this reason, this study should be a first approach to the problem calling for further researches.