In October and November 2004, 91 spice samples (70 ground red pepper, six black pepper, five white pepper, five spice mix and five chilli samples), the majority of which originated from commercial outlets, were analysed for aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2) and ochratoxin A (OTA) content by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after immunoaffinity column clean-up. Eighteen of the 70 ground red pepper samples contained AFB1, seven of them in a concentration exceeding the 'maximum level' of 5 microg kg(-1) (range 6.1-15.7 microg kg(-1)). Of the other spices assayed, the AFB1 contamination of one chilli sample exceeded 5 microg kg(-1) (8.1 microg kg(-1)). Thirty-two of the 70 ground red pepper samples contained OTA, eight of them in a concentration exceeding the 10 microg kg(-1) 'maximum level' (range 10.6-66.2 microg kg(-1)). One chilli sample was contaminated with OTA at 2.1 microg kg(-1). The AFB1 and OTA contamination of ground red pepper exceeding the 'maximum level' (5 and 10 microg kg(-1), respectively) was obviously the consequence of mixing imported ground red pepper batches heavily contaminated with AFB1 and OTA with red pepper produced in Hungary. This case calls attention to the importance of consistently screening imported batches of ground red pepper for aflatoxin and ochratoxin A content and strictly prohibiting the use of batches containing mycotoxin concentrations exceeding the maximum permitted level.

The ochratoxin A (OTA) content of urine samples from 88 healthy humans living at five settlements in three counties of Hungary was determined by immunoaffinity column cleanup and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). OTA was detected in 61% of the samples in an average concentration of 0.013 ng/ml (range: 0.006-0.065 ng/ml). OTA concentrations measured in urine samples from men and women were not significantly different. The OTA concentration of samples from Heves county was significantly (t-test; p < 0.003) higher than that of samples from Hajdú-Bihar and Somogy counties. The regional differences in OTA concentration of urine samples indicate regional differences in the OTA exposure of the human population. Further studies are necessary to determine the cause of the regional differences in the OTA intake. The studies allow us to conclude that the OTA intake of the majority of the Hungarian population is low (< 1 ng/kg of body weight per day) but a certain part of the rural population may take up higher levels of OTA.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a nephrotoxic and carcinogenic mycotoxin, a secondary metabolite produced by mould fungi belonging to several Aspergillus and Penicillium species. It is formed during the storage of cereal grains and other plant-derived products. OTA ingested by humans and animals with the food or feed may exert deleterious effects on health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ochratoxin contamination of the most important potential sources of OTA. The OTA content of cereal samples for human consumption (36 baking wheat, 16 wheat flour and 6 maize coarse meal samples) and feed grain samples (30 feeding wheat, 32 feeding maize and 20 feeding barley samples) collected in the mid-phase or at the end of the storage period and of 50 commercial coffee samples was determined. The analyses were performed by immunoaffinity column -high-performance liquid chromatography (IAC-HPLC). The limit of detection of the method was 0.1 ng/g. Of the wheat samples intended for human consumption, 8.3% contained OTA at 0.29 ng/g on the average (OTA ranges: 0.12-0.5 ng/g; Table 2). The OTA contamination of wheat flour and maize meal samples for human consumption was similar to that of the baking wheat samples. OTA contamination was found in 26.7% of the feeding wheat, 15.6% of the feeding maize and 35% of the feeding barley samples. The average values and the ranges of OTA levels found in the above samples were 12.2 and 0.3-62.8 ng/g, 4.9 and 1.9-8.3 ng/g, and 72 and 0.14-212 ng/g, respectively (Table 3). Sixty-six percent of the coffee samples were contaminated with OA (average level: 0.57 ng/g, ranges: 0.17-1.3 ng/g; Table 4). OTA contamination of baking wheat samples was found to be relatively low, presumably as a result of the favourable weather at harvest and the optimal storage conditions. Calculations made on the basis of the obtained results show that the daily OTA intake of an adult human from edible cereals is only 6.7 ng, while the amount taken up with coffee is 4.1 ng daily. The high prevalence and high levels of OTA contamination in feed grains can be explained by the unfavourable storage conditions, and this finding suggests that OA-related health problems may arise in animals, and that foods of animal origin may be contaminated with this mycotoxin.

The antibacterial activity of BK-218 was similar to that of cefamandole when it was tested against several laboratory strains. The inhibiting effect of BK-218 was greater than that of cephalexin and cefoxitin on penicillin-binding proteins of Escherichia col HB101. This result was in close correlation with the relative inhibition of radiolabeled glucosamine incorporation (greatest with BK-218) and with the lytic effect (most intensive with BK-218). BK-218 proved to be a good inhibitor for all five of the ,-lactamases that were investigated, although two enzymes (Enterobacter cloacae P99 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Cilote) hydrolyzed it to some extent.Cephalexin (4), cefadroxil (7), cefaclor (4,21), cefroxadine (34), and cefatrizine (22) (Fig. 1.), is a new oral cephalosporin.It is well-known that beta-lactam antibiotics first bind to their targets, the so-called penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). The inhibition of these enzymes suspends peptidoglycan synthesis, and as a consequence the autolytic enzymes are triggered with a mechanism whose details are not completely understood (16).The purpose of this study was to report the results of preliminary investigations concerning the in vitro activity of BK-218 against a limited number of gram-positive and gramnegative bacteria. The MICs of BK-218 were compared with those of other parenteral (cefuroxime, cefamandole, and cefoxitin) and oral (cephalexin) antibiotics.The in vitro effect on the targets was measured by (i) affinity to PBPs, (ii) incorporation of labeled glucosamine into the cell wall of Escherichia coli, and (iii) release of labeled glucosamine-containing fragments from prelabeled cell wall of E. coli to assess the lysis capability of BK-218.

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