TY - JOUR T1 - Detection of Ochratoxin A in bread samples in Shahrekord city, Iran, 2011-2012 TT - ردیابی سم اکراتوکسین A در نان های مصرفی شهرکرد در سال1390 JF - Iran-J-Med-Microbiol JO - Iran-J-Med-Microbiol VL - 7 IS - 3 UR - http://ijmm.ir/article-1-214-en.html Y1 - 2013 SP - 42 EP - 47 KW - Ochratoxin A KW - Bread KW - ELISA N2 - Background and aims: Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin that possess a risk to human health due to its nephrotoxic, immunotoxic, mutagenic, teratogenic and carcinogenic properties. This study was undertaken in order to determine the presence and levels of ochratoxin A in different types of bread consumed in Shahrekord city. Materials and Methods: Eighty six samples of different types of bread purchased in March 2012 from retail bakeshops in Shahrekord city were surveyed for the presence of ochratoxin A (OTA) using ELISA assay. Results: Ochratoxin A was detected in 45 out of the 86 bread samples (52.3%). Levels of OTA in positive samples ranged between 0.19 and 10.37 ng/g and the average contamination of all positive samples was 3.04 ng/g . The highest frequency of positive samples was related to machinery Taftoon (88.8%) and Lavash bread (81.8%). The most contaminated sample (5.39 ng/g ) was found in the Iranian Lavash bread. Fifteen of the positive samples exceed the maximum level of 5 ng/g set by European regulations for OTA in cereal and bread. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that contamination levels of ochratoxin A were high in part of the samples (17.4%). Bread and cereals are considered to be the main and predominant ingredient of Iranian food therefore, their contamination can have long-term negative impact on people's health. M3 ER -