Plasma ochratoxin A levels in three Swedish populations surveyed using an ion‐pair HPLC technique

Abstract

A new HPLC method for the analysis of ochratoxin A in plasma samples is described. The analysis is performed at an alkaline pH using an ion‐pair technique, fluorescence detection at an excitation wavelength 380 nm, and an emission wavelength 420 nm. The detection and quantification limits are 0.02 ng and 0.05 ng ochratoxin A/ml plasma, respectively. The method was used to determine the ochratoxin A content of human plasma samples, collected in three districts of Sweden. The Visby district had a significantly higher proportion of ochratoxin A positive samples and higher levels than the other two districts— Uppsala and Östersund. The calculated daily intake of ochratoxin A in the Visby district (0.35 ng/kg body weight), exceeds the lower tolerable daily intake (TDI) value suggested by Kuiper‐Goodman and Scott (1989). The calculated daily intake by the population on the mainland of Sweden (0.04 ng/kg body weight) is below the proposed TDIs.