title: Reduction of ochratoxin A in dry-cured meat products using gamma-irradiation.
abstract: This study investigated the efficiency of gamma (γ)-irradiation in the reduction of ochratoxin A (OTA) present in dry-cured meat products prepared from intentionally contaminated raw materials from OTA-treated pigs. OTA concentrations determined in the samples (n = 24) ranged from 25.8 μg kg(-1) in bacon to 17.8 μg kg(-1) in smoked ham. After γ-irradiation at doses of 3, 7 and 10 kGy (i.e. the doses used in the food industry), a dose-depended OTA reduction was observed; however, it was not statistically significant. The mean OTA reduction achieved with 3-, 7- and 10-kGy γ-doses was approximated to 8.5%, 13.9% and 22.5%, respectively. The storage of irradiated samples (1 month, 4°C) did not significantly affect OTA levels. Based on the correlation between the OTA reduction level and basic chemical composition of dry-cured meat samples, OTA reduction may be linked to the samples' fat content. The results indicate that γ-irradiation can reduce OTA levels in dry-cured meat products, but only to a limited extent due to the complexity of the matrix.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry , University of Zagreb , Zagreb , Croatia.
authors.forename: Ana-Marija
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Domijan
authors.forename: Jelka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pleadin
authors.forename: Branka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mihaljević
authors.forename: Nada
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vahčić
authors.forename: Jadranka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frece
authors.forename: Ksenija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Markov
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005519:Food Preservation; D005720:Gamma Rays; D008461:Meat Products / Q000032:analysis*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009793:Ochratoxins / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D009793:Ochratoxins; C025589:ochratoxin A
keywords: ELISA; dry-cured meat products; gamma-irradiation; ochratoxin A; reduction