Natural occurrence of ochratoxin A in food and feed in Senegal

A retrospective study covering 1984-88 showed that urogenital diseases were the third most frequent cause of death in Senegal. The purpose of our study was to see whether ochratoxin A is involved in the etiology of these nephropathies. A total of 166 samples of eight principal types of food and feed consumed in this country were obtained randomly at markets in Dakar and Kaolack and analysed for ochratoxin A using the method of analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Only cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), from a legume widely distributed in Senegal, was contaminated (16% of samples), at an average level of 34 micrograms/kg. All other samples were free of ochratoxin A, indicating that it is not directly correlated with the renal diseases observed. Aflatoxin B1 was detected in almost all of the samples, and a competition between moulds producing the two toxins is suggested.