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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Occurrence of ochratoxin A in bread consumed in Morocco

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Abstract One hundred samples of commercial bread purchased from January to October (2006) from retail bakeshops in five different cities (Rabat, Temara, Sale, Casablanca and Meknes) in Morocco were surveyed for the presence of ochratoxin A (OTA) using liquid chromatography coupled to fluorescence detection. The identification of OTA in positive bread samples was confirmed by methyl ester derivatization. Analytical results showed that forty eight (48%) samples were positive with OTA greater than the limit of quantification (LOQ = 0.051 ng/g). Levels of OTA in positive samples ranged between 0.14 and 149 ng/g. The average contamination of bread samples with OTA was 13 ± 1.5 ng/g. The highest frequency of positive samples (61.5%) and the most contaminated sample (149 ng/g) were found in bread commercialized in the Casablanca area. Twenty six of the positive samples exceeded the maximum level of 3 ng/g set by European regulations for OTA in cereals and derivatives. Based in the results presented in this study, the estimated daily intake of OTA from bread was 126 ng/kg bw/day. The present paper is the first ever drafted on the natural occurrence of OTA in bread consumed in Morocco. Data on the daily intake of OTA by the Moroccan population are also estimated for the first time.