A rapid analysis of ochratoxin a in coffee beans and cereals

Abstract

A rapid analytical method for the determination of ochratoxin A (OCTA), without using chloroform or an immunoaffinity column, in coffee beans and cereals such as rice, wheat, barley and corn was developed. OCTA was extracted from spiked food samples with acetonitrile-1% H3PO4 (99: 1) and cleaned up using cartridge anion exchange column (Bond Elut DEA) chromatography. The test solution was chromatographed on a Capcell Pak C8 column with acetonitrile-water-acetic acid (40:58:2). OCTA was detected using a fluorescence detector (excitation: 335 nm; emission: 465 nm). Recoveries from samples spiked with 10 ng/g OCTA and 50 ng/g in coffee beans, unpolished rice, wheat, barley and corn averaged 93.9 ± 3.9% and 96.1 ± 3.5%, respectively. The detection limits corresponded to 0.05 ng/g in green coffee beans, roasted coffee beans, unpolished rice, wheat, barley and corn.