Content of ochratoxin A in paired kidney and meat samples from healthy Danish slaughter pigs

Food Addit Contam. 2002 Jun;19(6):562-7. doi: 10.1080/02652030110113807.

Abstract

In 1999, paired samples of kidney and meat were taken from 300 healthy Danish pigs and analysed for ochratoxin A. The concentrations of ochratoxin A in kidney ranged from 0 to 15 microg kg(-1) (mean 0.50 microg kg(-1), median 0.18 microg kg(-1)) and in meat from 0 to 2.9 microg kg(-1) (mean 0.12 microg kg(-1), median 0.03 microg kg(-1)). The data together with the Danish control data show that today the pig industry in Denmark has no problem keeping the content of ochratoxin A in pig at very low levels even in years with wet harvest conditions. The mean ratio 'content in meat/content in kidney' for paired samples was 39%. For kidney samples >1.0 microg kg(-1), the mean ratio was 22%. The Danish control system for ochratoxin A in pig kidney established in 1978 can be regarded as a success because the levels in pig have been reduced substantially, and hence for the consumer the contribution from pig products to the total intake of ochratoxin A is very small compared with other sources.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinogens / analysis
  • Denmark / epidemiology
  • Food Contamination / analysis*
  • Humans
  • Kidney / chemistry*
  • Kidney Diseases / chemically induced
  • Kidney Diseases / epidemiology
  • Meat / analysis*
  • Mycotoxins / adverse effects
  • Mycotoxins / analysis*
  • Ochratoxins / adverse effects
  • Ochratoxins / analysis*
  • Swine
  • Swine Diseases / chemically induced
  • Swine Diseases / epidemiology

Substances

  • Carcinogens
  • Mycotoxins
  • Ochratoxins
  • ochratoxin A