Determination of ochratoxin A in pork meat products: single laboratory validation method and preparation of homogeneous batch materials.

Ochratoxin A is one of the most diffused mycotoxin present in a large spectrum of food commodities, mainly produced by Aspergillus ochraceus, Aspergillus carbonarius, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium verrucosum. EU has set maximum limits for a number of matrices such as cereals, wine, spices and liquorice, whilst other commodities such as beer and meat products that are susceptible of OTA contamination and are largely consumed are not included. In 2013, within the framework of the Regulation (EC) 882/2004 on official controls, the European Commission issued the mandate M/520 regarding the standardisation for methods of analysis for mycotoxins in food to the European Committee for Standardisation. Of the 11 priorities of the mandate, the one on "HPLC determination of OTA in meat, meat products and edible offal" was assigned to the Italian National Reference Laboratory for feed and food. The method was single-laboratory validated, and all the performance characteristics of the method were compliant with the corresponding reference values indicated in Regulation (EC) n. 401/2006. The method was applied to characterise a set of 5 pork-based materials (ham, kidney, liver and canned chopped pork) to be used for an inter-laboratory method validation study. Three ham materials (levels of contamination of 0.77, 2.22 and 12.3 μg/kg, respectively), one liver material (contamination level of 2.80 μg/kg) and one chopped pork meat (contamination level of 0.66 μg/kg) were tested for homogeneity and stability.