A total of 93 Portuguese grape samples destined for wine production were examined for the presence of ochratoxin A (OTA) and the OTA producing fungi Aspergillus carbonarius and A. niger aggregate. Samples came from 11 vineyards from four winemaking regions in the North and South of the Portuguese mainland, during the harvest seasons of 2001, 2002 and 2003. Grapes were examined at 3 maturation s...

Moistened barley was inoculated with 1.4 x 10(3) and 1.4 x 10(5) spores, respectively, from ochratoxin A-producing strains of Aspergillus ochraceus and Penicillium varidicatum. To estimate fungal tissue in the barley, the amount of glucosamine was followed for 28 days at 10 and 25 degrees C. Ochratoxin A was also followed during the same period and under the same conditions. The data show that ...

The widespread contamination of foodstuffs and beverages by mycotoxins, such as ochratoxin A (OTA), has made the monitoring of human contamination levels essential. By using a sensitive, accurate and speedy method that combines extraction with 5% NaHCO(3), immunoaffinity column clean-up and HPLC with fluorescence detection, the human exposure to OTA through urine analysis can be monitored. This...

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o-Methoxycinnamaldehyde has been isolated and purified from powdered cinnamon. The compound inhibits the growth and toxin production of mycotoxin-producing fungi. The substance completely inhibited the growth of Aspergillus parasiticus and A. flavus at 100 microgram/ml and A. ochraceus and A. versicolor at 200 microgram/ml. It inhibited the production of aflatoxin B1 by over 90% at 6.25 microgr...

Aspergillus carbonarius is an ochratoxin A (OTA) producing fungus, predominantly responsible for the production of this mycotoxin in grapes, wine and dried vine fruits. The objective of this study was to determine the in vitro effects of water activity (a(w), 0.80-0.95) and temperature (15-35 degrees C) on lag phase extension and radial growth rate of a cocktail inoculum of four strains of A. c...

Liquorice is a herbal medicine produced mainly in China and Iran. This plant is suspected to contain ochratoxin A (OTA), a secondary metabolite produced by fungi. Although liquorice is not included in the daily dietary of humans, the high levels of OTA reported in this product have concerned consumers. Registration of a standard method for measuring the amount of this mycotoxin in liquorice-der...