Fungal Contaminated Wheat Seller Arrested

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http://www.agreport.com/open/177584.phtml Italian Pasta Maker Charged ROME -

Jan 11/06 - SNS -- Italian police in Bari arrested Francesco Casillo, owner of

Molino Casillo Italy -- Europe's biggest pasta mill, on charges of attempted to

sell 58,000 metric tons (MT) of durum wheat which contains excess levels of a

cancer-producing toxin.

He is charged with trying to sell the wheat for use in both human and animal

consumption markets by blending it with uncontaminated grain.

The wheat comes from a shipload of Canadian durum which was seized by

authorities in Bari last year because it contained more than three times the

allowed level of ochratoxin.

Background on Ochratoxin Ochratoxin A is the most important and most commonly

occurring of a structurally related group of compounds, and is often abbreviated

to OTA or OA. It is produced by some species of Aspergillus, such as A.

ochraceus, mainly in tropical regions and by Penicillium verrucosum, a common

storage fungus in temperate areas such as Canada, eastern and north western

Europe and parts of South America.

The toxin mainly affects the kidneys, in which it can cause both acute and

chronic lesions, whereas its dechloro derivative, ochratoxin B, is non-toxic. A

nephrotoxic effect has been demonstrated in all mammalian species.

Ochratoxin A is a potent teratogen in mice, rats, hamsters and chickens, but

not apparently in pigs when fed to sows during early pregnancy. Both teratogenic

and reproductive effects have been demonstrated. It is known to affect the

immune system in a number of mammalian species.

Ochratoxin A was first reported as a natural contaminant of cereals in a

sample of corn. Concentrations found are usually below 50 µg/kg but when

products are stored badly much higher concentrations can develop. In temperate

regions a significant proportion of cereal samples may be contaminated with very

small amounts below 1 µg/kg although a few may contain much higher levels.

Many surveys for ochratoxin A in cereals have been carried out but in recent

years it has been found in a wide range of other stored products and processed

foods including coffee, beer, dried fruit, wine, cocoa and nuts.

Many experiments have been carried out in laboratory culture to identify the

optimum conditions for the formation of ochratoxin A by Aspergillus ochraceus

and Penicillium verrucosum. However, under field conditions it is often formed

in cereals under conditions marginal for the formation of the fungi and this

aspect has only recently been addressed, but is vital for understanding how its

formation can be avoided.

Survive Food Processing Ochratoxin A is a moderately stable molecule that will

survive most food processing to some extent and may thus occur in consumer

products. Processing may involve boiling, baking, roasting or fermentation, and

the degree to which it is destroyed will further depend on other parameters such

as pH, temperature and the other ingredients present.

A number of these processes have been examined in detail although much remains

to be done. Literature reports have reviewed its fate during malting and

brewing, bread making, the processing of cereals into breakfast cereals,

production of coffee products, animal feed production and its carry over into

meat products. In biological systems, it will bind to serum albumin.

Because of its persistence through the food chain, current research is

concentrated on its prevention. HACCP-like approaches are being developed for

application to a number of commercial processes.

Risk assessments have been carried out in Canada and in Scandinavia, and by

JECFA. The presence of ochratoxin A in foodstuffs is clearly undesirable, and

the EU has recently proposed statutory maximum limits for ochratoxin A of 5

µg/kg in raw cereal grains including rice and buckwheat, 3 µg/kg for derived

cereal products or for cereal grains for direct human consumption, and 10 µg/kg

in dried vine fruits. Limits for other products are being considered.