Optimized Electrochemical Sensor for Ochratoxin A Quantification in Coffee and Wheat Matrices.

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Food Science
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a prevalent mycotoxin in food, posing significant health risks.
• Accurate and sensitive detection of OTA in complex food matrices is crucial for public health and regulatory compliance.
• Existing methods for OTA detection can be costly, time-consuming, and suffer from matrix interferences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a cost-effective, sensitive, and selective electrochemical method for OTA detection.
• To optimize the method for challenging food matrices like wheat and coffee.
• To validate the method's performance against regulatory standards.

Main Methods:

• Utilized commercial carbon black-graphite screen-printed electrodes (SPE CB-G) modified with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB).
• Employed adsorptive stripping differential pulse voltammetry (AdSDPV) with parameters optimized via central composite design (CCD).
• Evaluated method performance in buffer solutions and real food samples (wheat, coffee).

Main Results:

• Achieved a low limit of detection (LOD) of 1.39 ng mL⁻¹ in buffer and 2.70 ng mL⁻¹ in coffee.
• Demonstrated high recovery rates (94.64–109.86%) in coffee, indicating accuracy.
• CTAB modification effectively minimized matrix effects, ensuring reliable and reproducible results.

Conclusions:

• The optimized SPE-based electrochemical sensor provides a practical and efficient alternative for routine OTA analysis.
• This method offers a cost-effective solution for sensitive and selective OTA detection in food safety monitoring.
• The developed sensor meets regulatory requirements and shows promise for widespread application in food quality control.