Ochratoxin A in domestic and imported beers in Belgium: occurrence and exposure assessment

Abstract

Determination of ochratoxin A (OTA) concentration was performed in commercial beer in Belgium using immunoaffinity column (OchraTest) clean-up and liquid chromatography. The procedure was validated and fulfilled the European Committee for Standardization's criteria. It offered a detection limit of 3 ng l(-1) and a quantification limit of 10 ng l(-1). Recovery experiments carried out with the spiked samples in the range 50-200 ng OTA l(-1) showed an overall average recovery rate of 97% (RSD = 2.8%). The validated method was applied to the analysis of 62 Belgian beers and 20 commercial beers imported from Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, The Netherlands and Scotland. None of these beers exceeded the previously suggested EU limit of 200 ng l(-1). However, OTA was detected in 60 Belgian beers and in all imported beers. The average levels of contamination were 33 ng l(-1) (RSD = 112%) and 32 ng l(-1) (RSD = 81%), respectively. The highest level found was 185 ng l(-1). On the basis of the established tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 5 ng kg(-1) body weight, accepted by the scientific committee on food of the EU, this study indicates that beer consumption in Belgium is not likely to contribute to more than a few per cent of the TDI based on the average consumption. This study also shows variability of the OTA contamination in beer with time. Thus, there is a potential risk of having highly contaminated batches from time to time. We therefore recommend to control further the OTA contamination in brewery products and to take precautionary measures during harvest, transport and storage of the raw materials to maintain the OTA intake at the lowest achievable level.

Occurrence of ochratoxin A in commodities and processed food – A review of EU occurrence data

“…The mean of 0.03 mg/kg is probably a good estimate for the overall mean level of ochratoxin A in beer on the European market today. This has been confirmed by a recent publication (Tangni et al 2002).…”

Fumonisin B1 and ochratoxin A in beers made in Brazil

“…The incidence found in Brazilian beer in the present survey (4.8%) is therefore low. The levels found, on the other hand are higher then the levels reported by other countries by various orders of magnitude 12,13,21,26,27,35,47,52,53 .…”

“…No correlation between the incidences of OTA and country or beverage type was found by SOLEAS et al 42 in beer commercialized in Canada (107 samples). In Belgium, OTA was found by TANGNI et al 47 in all samples of 62 Belgian and 20 imported beers analyzed and the highest concentration was 0.185 ng.mL -1 . PRADO et al 31 investigated the presence of OTA in 26 samples of beer produced in Brazil and found traces of the toxin in 6 samples.…”

Chemical safety of conventionally and organically produced foodstuffs: A tentative comparison under Belgian conditions

“…Tangni, Ponchaut, Maudoux, Rozenberg, and Larondelle (2002) have recently conducted a survey on beers found on the Belgian market. From this study, it appears that the level of OTA contamination is very variable either in the organic or in the conventional brands.…”