Ochratoxin A contamination of cereal feed grain was monitored during October 1989-September 1990 by analysis of blood samples from slaughter swine in Sweden. The detection of ochratoxin A in swine blood was used as a method to identify swine herds fed ochratoxin A contaminated feed. The contamination level of ochratoxin A in the blood of the positive herds was in the range 2-45 ng/ml with the mean concentration 5.2 ng/ml. Feed samples for mycological analysis were collected from both ochratoxin A positive herds (greater than or equal to ng/ml blood) and ochratoxin A negative herds (less than 2 ng/ml blood). From the ochratoxin A positive herds and the ochratoxin A negative herds 22 and 21 feed samples were collected, respectively. No quantitative differences in mould content, as determined by colony forming units, were observed between the two groups. However, there were differences in the mycoflora. The incidence of storage fungi (Penicillium and Aspergillus spp.) was significantly higher (p less than 0.05) in feed from ochratoxin A positive herds. Particularly, Penicillium verrucosum was found to be significantly more common (p less than 0.001). Altogether 274 isolates were screened for their ability to produce ochratoxin A. Ochratoxin A producers were found only within P. verrucosum; 38% of the 63 isolates produced detectable amounts of ochratoxin A. Ochratoxin A producing isolates of P. verrucosum were found in 60% of the feed samples collected from ochratoxin A positive swine herds and in one sample (5%) of the feed samples collected from the ochratoxin A negative herds.
Summary In a survey during the years 1985, 1986 and 1987 the quality of Swedish feeding grain was followed by the analysis of ochratoxin A in blood collected from swine at slaughter. The swine herds sampled were selected on feed handling procedures used. From information about the feed used, risk parameters for ochratoxin A contamination were identified. The results showed annual variation in the content of ochratoxin A in the grain and that ochratoxin A increased during storage of grain, particularly in the harvest of 1985. Drying of the grain with forced ambient air was found to be inferior to the use of heated forced air. It was also noticed that more than 9 % of the grain was contaminated with ochratoxin A regardless of handling. The pronounced difference between the samples studied was seen mainly as a function of geographical origin, with the island of Gotland having a much higher frequency of positive samples than the rest of Sweden. No correlation between ochratoxin A in swine feed and post mortem signs of infectious diseases in the swine herds was found. Zusammenfassung Die Anwendung von Ochratoxin A in Schweineblut zur Bewertung der Getreidehandhabung Im Rahmen einer Untersuchung wurde in den Jahren 1985, 1986 und 1987 an Hand von Ochratoxin A‐Gehalten in Schweineblut, gesammelt bei der Schlacht, die Qualität von schwedischem Futtergetreide verfolgt. Zur Untersuchung geeignete Schweineherden wurden nach Fütterungsge‐wohnheiten ausgesucht. Informationen über das verwendete Futter dienten zur Identifizierung von Risikoparametern für Ochratoxin A‐Kontamination. Die Ergebnisse zeigen jahreszeitliche Schwankungen für den Ochratoxin A‐Gehalt in Getreide und einen Anstieg der Ochratoxin A‐Konzentration während der Lagerung, besonders für die Ernte 1985. Trocknung des Getreides mit Luft bei Umgebungstemperatur erwies sich als weniger geeignet als der Gebrauch von Warmluft. Mehr als 9 % des Getreides waren, unabhängig von der Handhabung, mit Ochratoxin A kontaminiert. Die deutlichsten Unterschiede zwischen den untersuchten Proben waren hauptsächlich geographischen Ursprungs, wobei auf der Insel Gotland eine sehr viel höhere Frequenz von positiven Proben gefunden wurde als im restlichen Schweden. Es bestand keine Korrelation zwischen Ochratoxin A in Schweinefutter und post mortem Zeichen für Infektionskrankheiten in den untersuchten Schweineherden.
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