ochratoxins—food contaminants impact on human healthochratoxins-food污染物对人类健康的影响.pdfVIP

Toxins 2010, 2, 771-779; doi:10.3390/toxins2040771 OPEN ACCESS toxins ISSN 2072-6651 /journal/toxins Review Ochratoxins—Food Contaminants: Impact on Human Health Lalini Reddy 1,* and Kanti Bhoola 2 1 Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Durban University of Technology, P. O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa 2 University of Western Australia, The Lung Institute of Western Australia, Ground Floor E Block, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands WA, 6009, Australia; E-Mail: profbhoola@.au * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: reddyla@dut.ac.za; Tel.: +27-31-373-5108; Fax: +27-86-687-0186. Received: 5 March 2010; in revised form: 7 April 2010 / Accepted: 19 April 2010 / Published: 20 April 2010 Abstract: Ochratoxins are secondary metabolites of Aspergillus and Penicillium, that are hazardous to health through contamination of dietary foods. Ochratoxin A (OTA) remains the single most potent member of this group of mycotoxins. OTA has a long half-life in humans and is thus easily detected in serum. Dietary intake studies have confirmed link between endemic nephrotoxicity in humans to their daily household intake of OTA. OTA has been reported to contribute to endemic nephrotoxicity and carcinogenicity in humans and animals. OTA produces renal tumours, DNA adducts and chromosomal aberrations in kidneys. OTA may be embryotoxic,