Monitoring of residues of ochratoxin A in blood and kidney of chicken using HPLC-FLD.

Detoxification of ochratoxin A can be achieved by chemical or enzymatic hydrolyzation, the products of such reactions are ochratoxin α and phenylalanine. Ochratoxin α like ochratoxin A, is a fluorescing molecule, therefore sensitive analysis is possible at very low concentration levels. Methods have been established that make it possible to look for residues of ochratoxin A and its main metabolite ochratoxin α in blood and tissues at very low concentration levels. Plasma is extracted by the use of small amounts of chloroform; the extract is cleaned with water and afterwards evaporated to dryness]. The residue is re-dissolved and analysed by HPLC-FLD. Using this method a limit of detection of 0.5μg/l for both ochratoxin A and ochratoxin α can be reached.