Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in Brazilian paprika

Seventy paprika samples collected in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, from January to April 2006 were analysed for aflatoxins and ochratoxin A (OTA) using an immunoaffinity column clean-up and HPLC-FLD. For aflatoxins, the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.23, 0.23, 0.45 and 0.45 mu g/kg for AFB(1), AFB(2), AFG(1) and AFG(2), respectively. For OTA the LOQ was 0.80 mu g/kg. Aflatoxins were found in 82.9% of samples and AFB(1) was detected in 61.4% at levels ranging from 0.5 to 7.3 mu g/kg with mean concentration of 3.4 mu g/kg. OTA was found in 85.7% at levels ranging from 0.24 to 97.2 mu g/kg with mean concentration of 7.0 mu g/kg. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.