Evaluation of feed components contamination with ochratoxin in Vojvodina

Ochratoxin A is cancerogenic, teratogenetic, immunotoxic and nephrotoxic The mentioned order stresses the importance of this toxin concerning its harm to human health. The harmful effects of ochratoxin A include the effects at molecular level, such as DNA fragmentation, protein synthesis inhibition gluconeogenesis, lipid peroxidation, disorder of oxydative phosphorization in mitochondria, inhibition of blood coagulation and apoptosis. The presence of ochratoxin A in a great number of food samples, both of plant and animal origin, is the obvious risk to human health, which is confirmed by the high incidence of this toxin in samples of human serum and milk. It could be stated, with certainty, that the above - mentioned facts are the reason for which the EU has paid great attention to this mycotoxin in recent years. This paper deals with the results of the analysis of the animal feed component samples for the period 2000-2003 concerning the ochratoxin A content. The analysed feed components were taken from the farms with significant health problems of animals (not monitoring). The samples were analysed by chromatography on a thin layer and with a limited detection method for ochratoxin A of 40 ppb. The analysis was carried out on 108 maize samples, 11 barley samples, 21 wheat samples, 42 sunflower pellets samples and 47 soybean pellets samples (Table 1). The samples of sunflower pellets were contaminated in the greatest percentage, which indicates the inadequate storage of this feed component.