Preliminary survey of ochratoxin A in millet, maize, rice and peanuts in Côte d'Ivoire from 1998 to 2002.

In a preliminary study, samples of millet (n =33) maize (n=41), rice (n=10) and peanuts (n=10) from Côte d'Ivoire were analysed for ochratoxin A (OTA) by HPLC with fluorimetric detection, followed by confirmation by cleavage of the OTA molecule using carboxypeptidase with HPLC separation and fluorimetric quantification of the released ochratoxin alpha (OTh). With the exception of four samples of peanuts, all samples showed OTA contamination, ranging from 3 to 1738 microg/kg. All cereals were contaminated and the OTA concentrations were in the range of 17-204 microg/kg for millet, 3-1738 microg/kg for maize, 9-92 microg/kg for rice and 0.6-64 microg/kg for peanuts, depending on the year of harvest. Most of the samples would not be accepted according to the EU regulatory limits for this mycotoxin. Following this survey, research for other mycotoxins and the evaluation of the exposure of the population is underway.