The mycotoxicological chain and contamination of food by ochratoxin A in the nephropathic and non-nephropathic areas in Yugoslavia.

Research was carried out on the distribution of moulds on cereals in vegetation and in storerooms in the period from 1974 to 1981 and on ochratoxin (OA) in stored maize and wheat as well as residues of OA in the organs of swine in the nephropathic and non-nephropathic areas in the SR of Croatia, Yugoslavia. It was shown that moulds belonging to toxogenic species contaminate cereals in vegetation to an approximately equal degree in both areas (Penicillium 6.6-20.0%, Aspergillus 2.5-6.6% and Fusarium 80-100%). Stored cereals were contaminated by species of Penicillium 75-82.8%, Aspergillus 2.5-27.1% and Fusarium 57.1-82.5%, with a somewhat higher degree of contamination in the nephropathic area. Ochratoxin A occurs on cereals on the whole territory of the SR of Croatia, but average concentrations are higher in the nephropathic area (45% of the positive findings of OA were over 2 mg/kg). Residues of OA in the kidneys (16-77 micrograms/kg), liver (0-21 micrograms/kg) and blood (36-77 micrograms/l) were detected in 38 organs taken from swine in the nephropathic area, but this toxin was not found in the 6 samples taken from the non-nephropathic area. In the same organs histopathological changes were found in the kidneys (interstitial nephritis with parenchymal degeneration of the distal parts of the tubular epithel) and liver (interstitial hepatitis with fatty degeneration of the liver).