Meucci Valentina, Lenzi Alessio, Armani Andrea, Pedonese Francesca, Ghimenti Ludovica, De Marchi Lucia
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge n° 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
Foods. 2025 Apr 25;14(9):1504. doi: 10.3390/foods14091504.
Cheese is a globally consumed dairy product, with Europe leading the world in its consumption. Italy, as the third-largest cheese producer within the European Union, plays a crucial role in the sector, particularly through its production of Protected Designation of Origin (P.D.O.) cheeses, including and . These hard cheeses are widely utilized in pre-packaged grated cheese products, owing to their broad appeal and recognized quality. While mold is a common and often necessary component in cheese production for the development of flavor and texture, fungal growth can also detrimentally affect the quality of cheese, potentially causing economic losses and posing food safety risks. Some molds are capable of producing mycotoxins, such as ochratoxin A (OTA), a toxic compound that has been identified in cheese. This study aims to quantitatively assess the prevalence of OTA contamination in various pre-packaged grated cheese products using the high-performance liquid chromatography method while also exploring the potential implications for food safety. The results revealed a high incidence of OTA, with 97.6% of the samples tested positive for contamination, ranging from below the limit of detection (<LOD) to 19.15 ng g. Among the cheeses tested, the brand exhibited the significantly highest average level of OTA contamination (5.06 ± 0.66 ng g), followed by pecorino (2.25 ± 0.31 ng g), mixed (2.15 ± 0.18 ng g), and the cheeses (1.53 ± 0.21 ng g). Given the widespread consumption of pre-packaged grated cheese products, these findings underscore the importance of continuous monitoring and risk assessment of cheese products, particularly pre-packaged grated varieties, due to the potential health risks associated with OTA exposure. Further investigations are essential to identify the factors contributing to OTA contamination in cheese and to support the development of regulatory standards to ensure consumer safety.
奶酪是一种全球消费的乳制品，欧洲在其消费量方面领先世界。意大利作为欧盟内第三大奶酪生产国，在该领域发挥着关键作用，特别是通过其受保护原产地名称（P.D.O.）奶酪的生产，包括[奶酪名称1]和[奶酪名称2]。这些硬质奶酪因其广泛的吸引力和公认的品质，被广泛用于预包装磨碎奶酪产品中。虽然霉菌是奶酪生产中形成风味和质地的常见且往往必不可少的成分，但真菌生长也会对奶酪质量产生不利影响，可能导致经济损失并带来食品安全风险。一些霉菌能够产生霉菌毒素，如赭曲霉毒素A（OTA），这是一种已在奶酪中被鉴定出的有毒化合物。本研究旨在使用高效液相色谱法对各种预包装磨碎奶酪产品中OTA污染的发生率进行定量评估，同时探讨其对食品安全的潜在影响。结果显示OTA污染发生率很高，97.6%的测试样品呈污染阳性，污染水平从低于检测限（<LOD）到19.15 ng/g不等。在所测试的奶酪中，[品牌名称1]奶酪的OTA污染平均水平显著最高（5.06±±0.66 ng/g），其次是佩科里诺奶酪（2.25±±0.31 ng/g）、混合奶酪（2.15±±0.18 ng/g）和[品牌名称2]奶酪（1.53±±0.21 ng/g）。鉴于预包装磨碎奶酪产品的广泛消费，这些发现强调了对奶酪产品，特别是预包装磨碎品种进行持续监测和风险评估的重要性，因为与接触OTA相关的潜在健康风险。进一步的调查对于确定导致奶酪中OTA污染的因素以及支持制定监管标准以确保消费者安全至关重要。
