Estimation of possible exposure to Ochratoxin A via consumption of contaminated meat products

4 Dragan Kovačević, PhD, full professor, Faculty of Food Technology Osijek. J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Franje Kuhača 20, Osijek, Croatia Introduction Ochratoxin A is a mycotoxin, a secondary metabolite produced by the mold of Aspergillus and Penicillium species. Regarding the fact that research indicate to its nephrotoxic, neurotoxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, teratogenic and immunosuppressive activity in people and animals and its wide prevalence as food and feed contaminant, ochratoxin A represents a health hazard worldwide (Krogh et al., 1979; Creppy, 2002; Walker and Larsen, 2005; Khoury and Atoui, 2010). Penetration of ochratoxin A in human food chain can also occur due to a possible natural contamination of cereals which are a part of feed for animals intended for meat production, but also due to a possible secondary contamination of meat products during the process of their production (Markov et al., 2013). With the goal of preventing consequences on human health, the production of food and feed should be based on principles of good agricultural and manufacturing practice, i.e., the HACCP system, hazard analysis, prevention and control of critical points and removing the source in the technological production procedure. Also, it is necessary to ensure conducting of o`cial controls to the presence of this contaminant and de'ne its maximum allowable/ recommended concentrations for di>erent categories of food of animal origin and meat products at the same time (Perši et al., 2013). Earlier research in the Republic of Croatia have indicated to a more frequent contamination of feed materials with ochratoxin A (Pepeljnjak et al., 2008; Pleadin et al., 2013). The data have shown that this toxin can also be present in meat products produced from contaminated raw materials (Madsen et al., 1992; Gareis, 1996; Jørgensen, 1998; Creppy, 1999; Gareis and Scheuer, 2000). The highest ochratoxin A concentration in earlier research was determined in o>al based meat products such as black pudding and liver sausage due to the highest accumulating exactly in kidney tissue and liver, which are edible tissues and represent a raw material for the production of this category of meat products (Petzinger and Weidenbach 2002; Perši et al., 2014). Also, the published data speak on contamination of smoked and other meat products where signi'cant levels of ochratoxin A were detected as well (Pfohl-Leszkowicz and Manderville, 2007; Dall ́Asta et al., 2010; Markov et al., 2013). Industrial processes of meat product production like warming, salting, drying and storage thereby haven’t shown a signi'cant in?uence to decreasing ochratoxin A concentration in end meat products (Amezequeta et al., 2009). Considering the fact that there is a long tradition in the Republic of Croatia in the production of autochthonous meat products in rural households and due to the fact that published data have indicated to a more frequent contamination with ochratoxin A precisely of the Summary