First report: Exposure estimates to ochratoxin a through wheat bread and rice intake in Turkey

Abstract

A total of 160 samples of fresh wheat bread and rice from Turkey were analysed for the presence of ochratoxin A (OTA). The samples were analysed using a high performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). The method was previously validated and showed good selectivity, linearity, sensitivity and accuracy. The uncertainty associated with the analytical method was less than 20%. OTA was found in 9.8% of wheat bread (10 out of 102 samples) and 5.2% of rice (3 out of 58 samples) at levels ranging from <LOQ to 2.83 μg/kg, and from <LOQ to 0.98 μg/kg, respectively. Neither wheat bread nor rice samples contained OTA at levels higher than EU maximum limit (ML) of 3 μg/kg. The estimated daily intakes of OTA through the consumption of wheat bread and rice were 0.85 and 0.02 ng/kg b.w./day for general Turkish consumers, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report on exposure to OTA through the consumption of wheat bread and rice for Turkish consumers.