title: Comparison of ochratoxin A levels in edible pig tissues and in biological fluids after exposure to a contaminated diet.
abstract: The aim of this study was to compare ochratoxin A (OTA) levels in pig tissues and biological fluids after animal exposure to contaminated diet (250 μg OTA/kg of feed) during 4 weeks of fattening. OTA concentrations were quantified using a validated immunoassay method (ELISA) and high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector (HPLC-FD). The highest mean OTA concentration in pig tissues was determined in kidneys of exposed animals (13.87 ± 1.41 μg/kg), followed by lungs (10.47 ± 1.97 μg/kg), liver (7.28 ± 1.75 μg/kg), spleen (4.81 ± 0.99 μg/kg), muscle tissue (4.72 ± 0.86 μg/kg), fat tissue (4.11 ± 0.88 μg/kg), heart (3.71 ± 1.09 μg/kg), and brain (3.01 ± 0.25 μg/kg). Furthermore, on the last day of exposure (day 28), significantly higher mean OTA levels were determined in urine (16.06 ± 3.09 μg/L) in comparison to serum (4.77 ± 1.57 μg/L) showing that OTA urine analysis could be a good marker to identify elevated levels of this contaminant in porcine tissues used for human consumption. This study gave guidelines for the most efficient OTA control in pig-derived biological materials that can be exercised at slaughterhouses.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Analytical Chemistry, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska Cesta 143, 1000, Zagreb, Croatia. pleadin@veinst.hr.
authors.forename: Jelka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pleadin
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Analytical Chemistry, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska Cesta 143, 1000, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kudumija
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Food Technology, University of Josip Juraj Strossmayer in Osijek, Franje Kuhača 20, 31000, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kovačević
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, Food, Feed and Environmental Chemistry, Via G. Salvemini 1, 06126, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giampiero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scortichini
authors.affiliation: Food Chemistry and Residues Unit, Instituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale, 64100, Teramo, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milone
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kmetič
mesh_terms: D000825:Animal Structures / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004032:Diet / Q000379:methods*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005470:Fluorometry; D005506:Food Contamination; D009793:Ochratoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D009793:Ochratoxins; C025589:ochratoxin A
keywords: Biological fluids; Contaminated feed; Ochratoxin A; Pigs; Tissues