15 novembre 2007

EU keeps under control ochratoxin in paprika

European Community issued a large number of Regulations to establish mycotoxins’ maximum levels allowed in different food and feedstuff. In the circle of spices, there are limits only for alatoxins B1 and total aflatoxins (5 and 10 ppb respectively), but not for ochratoxin.

Notwithstanding this, as ochratoxin’s toxicity and cancerogenity are well known, its presence is monitored in different matrixes and it is often found in paprika and chilly. On 24th of October, for example, an official dutch control found out on the market an English paprika in powder with very high levels of ochratoxin A: the contamination was 131 ppb.
Even if there is not an official law for this, paprika was withdrawn from the market and selling was forbidden.
Apart from that case, there are a lot of recent data showing that ochratoxin contamination in spices (especially paprika) can be very high.
European Community is then considering to set an ochratoxin’s maximum limit for spices, especially because there are some populations that consume large amounts of this ingredient and are therefore highly exposed.