title: Occurrence of ochratoxin A in spices commercialized in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire).
abstract: Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced mostly by several species of Aspergillus and Penicillium. OTA is nephrotoxic in all animal species in which it has been tested and is cancerogenic in rodents. It is associated with Balkan endemic nephropathy. It is naturally present in many crop products such as cereals (barley, wheat, maize) and dried fruits, spices, coffee, wine, olives, and cocoa. The aim of this study was to assess the contamination of three Ivoirian spices with OTA (ginger, chili, and pepper) widely consumed by the population. A total of 90 spice samples (ginger: n = 30; chili: n = 30; pepper n = 30) was taken from various sales outlets of Abidjan. OTA was quantified using an HPLC apparatus coupled with a fluorimetric detector. The chili and ginger samples were contaminated with OTA at a mean concentration of 57.48 ± 174 and 0.12 ± 0.15 μg/kg, respectively. No contamination of the pepper samples was detected. Eight (26.67 %) of the chili samples exceeded the maximum limit of 15 μg/kg established by European regulation. These results should serve as an alert on the risk to the consumer population of these products that are highly contaminated with OTA.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Toxicologie et Hygiène Agro-Industrielle, UFR Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Université Félix Houphouët Boigny, BPV 34, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. mandapierre@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manda
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Toxicologie et Hygiène Agro-Industrielle, UFR Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Université Félix Houphouët Boigny, BPV 34, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
authors.forename: Ketty Michele
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Adanou
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Central d'Agrochimie et d'Ecotoxicologie, Laboratoire National pour le Développement Agricole, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
authors.forename: Dembelé
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ardjouma
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Toxicologie et Hygiène Agro-Industrielle, UFR Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Université Félix Houphouët Boigny, BPV 34, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
authors.forename: Aholia Jean Baptiste
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Adepo
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Toxicologie et Hygiène Agro-Industrielle, UFR Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Université Félix Houphouët Boigny, BPV 34, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
authors.forename: Djédjé Sébastien
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Dano
mesh_terms: D002212:Capsicum / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D007560:Cote d'Ivoire; D005470:Fluorometry; D020939:Zingiber officinale / Q000737:chemistry*; D009793:Ochratoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D029222:Piper nigrum / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D009793:Ochratoxins; C025589:ochratoxin A
keywords: Chili; Ginger; Ochratoxin A; Pepper; Spices