Occurrence of ochratoxin A in sweet wines produced in Spain and other countries

A survey for the presence of ochratoxin A (OTA) was undertaken from 2001 to 2005 in 188 samples of sweet wines produced in Spain and in 102 samples originating from other countries: France ( n = 49), Austria ( 9), Chile ( 9), Portugal ( 9), Greece ( 6), Italy ( 5), Germany ( 3), Hungary ( 2), Slovenia ( 2), Switzerland ( 2), Canada ( 1), Japan ( 1), New Zealand ( 1), Ukraine ( 1), South Africa ( 1) and the USA ( 1). The analytical method was based on immunoaffinity chromatography clean-up and high-performance liquid chromatography ( HPLC) with fluorescence detection. The limit of detection ( defined as a signal-noise ratio 3) was estimated to be 0.01 mu g l(-1) The limit of quantification (0.02 mu g l(-1) was checked as being the lowest measurable concentration. OTA was detected in 281 out of 290 samples analysed (96.9% positive) at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 4.63 mu g l(-1). The overall mean and median levels were estimated to be 0.50 and 0.14 mu g l(-1), respectively. In Spanish sweet wines OTA was found in 99% of the samples, with mean and median values of 0.65 and 0.19 mu g l(-1), respectively. The mean value obtained in this study for OTA in the Spanish sweet wines would result in an intake of about 37.5 and 3.2 ng day(-1) of OTA for regular consumers and for the overall population, respectively. These figures represent a minor contribution to the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) or TWI established by the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives ( JECFA) and the European Food Safety Authority: 3.8 and 3.1% for regular consumers; and 0.4 and 0.3% for the whole adult population, respectively.