[Determination of ochratoxin A in human milk]

A method for the determination of ochratoxin A in milk is described. The milk is homogenized in a buffer solution at pH 1.6 to release ochratoxin A from its bond to proteins. Ochratoxin A is extracted with chloroform and the extract cleaned up using a base clean-up step. Analysis is performed by high-pressure liquid chromatography, using a reversed-phase column and fluorescence detection. The detection limit of the method is 0.1 ng/ml and the average recovery rate, tested in the range between 0.5 and 10.0 ng/ml, was found to be 83.1%. Chemical ionization mass spectrometry (direct exposure probe) and an enzyme immunoassay were used as confirmatory tests. Using this method, trace amounts of ochratoxin A were found in 4 of 36 randomly collected human milk samples.