Ochratoxin A in corn and wheat: geographical association with endemic nephropathy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the presence and concentration of ochratoxin A in wheat and corn from Slavonski Brod surroundings, the area of endemic nephropathy allegedly caused by ochratoxin.


METHODS
Thin-layer chromatography was used to determine ochratoxin A concentrations in 92 wheat and 51 corn samples from the surroundings of Slavonski Brod, Osijek, Hrvatsko Zagorje, Istria, and Celje (Slovenia).


RESULTS
Ochratoxin A was present in 74 of 92 (75.8%) wheat samples and 17 of 51 (33.3%) corn samples, in a concentration range of 0.02-160.00 mg/kg in wheat and 0.02-40.00 mg/kg in corn. Wheat samples from the Slavonski Brod surroundings contained the highest level of ochratoxin A (38.8 +/- 27.2 mg/kg), followed by Osijek (8.7 +/- 8.3 mg/kg). Ochratoxin A levels in the wheat from Hrvatsko Zagorje, Istria, and Celje were considerably lower (2.1 +/- 1.5, 1.3 +/- 2.6 and 0.2 +/- 0.5 mg/kg, respectively). Wheat samples from Slavonski Brod significantly differed from all other sample groups (p < 0.001), and wheat samples from Osijek differed from those from Hrvatsko Zagorje, Istria, and Celje (p < 0.001, p = 0.003, p < 0.001, respectively). Ochratoxin A level was the highest in the corn samples from the Slavonski Brod surroundings (20.0 +/- 14.8 mg/kg) and considerably lower in samples from Osijek, Celje, Hrvatsko Zagorje, and Istria (0.8 +/- 1.4, 0.7 +/- 1.9, 0.4 +/- 0.4, and 0.4 +/- 0.8 mg/kg, respectively). A statistically significant difference was also observed between the Slavonski Brod samples and all other corn samples (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Irrespective of the real association between ochratoxin A and endemic nephropathy, our data clearly demonstrate their geographical overlap.
Zagreb Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia. dinko.puntaric@public-health.tel.hr
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Puntarić
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Bosnir
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Smit
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Skes
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Baklaić
D001449:Balkan Nephropathy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D017523:Croatia; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D009793:Ochratoxins / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014908:Triticum / Q000737:chemistry*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry*
D009793:Ochratoxins