A Study on Rice and Bread Contamination with Ochratoxin A, Balkan Endemic Nephropathy Agent

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a nephrotoxic mycotoxin, which is classified by IARC in the 2B category of carcinogenic factors in human bodies due to immunotoxic, mutagenic and teratogenic effects. OTA is known as the Balkan endemic nephropathy agent which causes renal cancer. Feeding animals with OTA-contaminated grains will make their milk and meat toxic enough to threaten human health. Pregnant and breast-feeding women as well as children who consume a large amount of milk and meat on a daily basis are threatened the most. OTA represents one of the most challenging issues in clinical medicine and global food safety because its harmful effects, including growing incidence of cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, infertility and inhibition of gluconeogenesis, are under serious consideration by researchers. In light of the significance of OTA health threats and FAO and WHO recommendations for OTA monitoring in grains, this study aims to examine OTA presence in rice and bread.