Ochratoxin A in animal feed--effects of processing.

The presence of ochratoxin A in ingredients of animal feeding stuffs is unlikely to produce noticeable effects on animal health or productivity except in the unlikely event of gross contamination. Studies on ochratoxin in cereals and food products have suggested that this mycotoxin is relatively stable under a range of conditions. This raises the question of whether ochratoxin can occur in meat and other animal products, and if so, to what extent this contamination contributes to the human diet. This paper reviews the information on the likely fate of ochratoxin at each stage from raw product to human food. It concludes that small amounts of ochratoxin may survive processing and animal metabolism in products from pigs and poultry but it is highly unlikely to be found in milk or meat from cattle.