A comparative study of extraction apparatus in HPLC analysis of ochratoxin A in muscle
E Moreno Guillamont1, C M Lino, M L Baeta
1Laboratory of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
Abstract:
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a secondary fungal metabolite produced by several moulds, mainly by Aspergillus ochraceus and by Penicillium verrucosum, that occurs in meat products. The aim of this work was to optimize an efficient extraction procedure for the determination of OTA in muscle tissue in order to assess its occurrence in meat samples. Three different apparatus, a Waring blender, a switching apparatus, and an ultrasonic processor, were evaluated to verify the efficiency of extraction. The analytical methods proposed involve the extraction with chloroform-orthophosphoric acid, cleanup through an immunoaffinity column, high-performance liquid chromatography/fluorescence detection for separation and identification of OTA, and confirmation with liquid chromatography/FD after methylation of OTA in muscle tissue. The limit of quantification of the proposed method was 0.04 microg kg(-1). Recoveries of OTA, using switching apparatus, ranged from 90.3 to 103.2% for chicken muscle spiked at 2.4 and 0.48 microg kg(-1), respectively, with a within-day relative standard deviation of 17 and 15.3%. The proposed method was applied to 38 chicken, swine, and turkey muscle samples and the presence of OTA was confirmed in five samples. Finally, the estimated daily intake of OTA in this study was between 23 pg kg(-1) body weight per day for swine samples and 18 pg kg(-1) body weight per day for turkey samples.
Insights
Ochratoxin A (OTA), a fungal toxin found in meat, was quantified using an optimized extraction method. The study confirmed OTA presence in muscle tissue, establishing a sensitive detection limit for food safety analysis.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Mycology
Background:
- Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by fungi like Aspergillus ochraceus and Penicillium verrucosum.
- OTA contamination is a concern in various food products, including meat.
Purpose of the Study:
- To optimize an efficient extraction method for determining OTA in muscle tissue.
- To assess the occurrence of OTA in chicken, swine, and turkey meat samples.
Main Methods:
- Extraction using chloroform-orthophosphoric acid and evaluation of three apparatus (Waring blender, switching apparatus, ultrasonic processor).
- Immunoaffinity column cleanup followed by high-performance liquid chromatography/fluorescence detection (HPLC/FD).
- Confirmation of OTA by liquid chromatography/FD after methylation.
Main Results:
- The optimized method achieved a limit of quantification of 0.04 microg kg(-1).
- Recoveries ranged from 90.3% to 103.2% with good precision.
- OTA was detected in 5 out of 38 analyzed meat samples.
Conclusions:
- An efficient and sensitive method for OTA determination in muscle tissue was developed.
- The study confirmed the presence of OTA in commercial meat products.
- Estimated daily intake of OTA was calculated, highlighting potential dietary exposure risks.
