Ochratoxins-Collection

Dear Colleagues,

In the seminal paper published in Nature, 1965, van Der Merwe, Steyn, Fourie, Scott and Theron, reported the isolation of a new toxic metabolite, called ochratoxin A (now abbreviated OTA), from Aspergillus ochraceus. Structural analysis of the mycotoxin pointed to the presence of a chlorophenolic moiety containing a dihydroisocoumarin system amide-linked to L-phenylalanine with toxicity in ducklings of the same order as that of aflatoxin B1 from Aspergillus flavus. Subsequent experimental carcinogenicity studies in male rats and mice carried out in the 1980s and later (2000) in poultry demonstrated OTA to be a potent kidney carcinogen and highlighted the real possibility that OTA could be a human carcinogen. OTA causes kidney damage in farm animals and a number of studies also suggested a correlation between OTA exposure and a fatal human kidney disease called Balkan endemic nephropathy, in which patients exhibit a high incidence of urinary tract tumours. OTA is now regarded as the most toxic member of the ochratoxins, which have attracted considerable attention since they are one of the most abundant food-contaminating mycotoxins in the world and are classified as potentially carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B). Recently it has been also pinpointed that the toxic effects of OTA was increased by other mycotoxins. Ongoing interdisciplinary research on the ochratoxins have been concerned with detection in feed and human foodstuff, occurrence and estimation of dietary and inhalation intake, establishment of limits for human consumption based on risk assessment, understanding mechanisms of toxicity for the development of detoxification processes and determining the toxic effects of OTA in the presence of other mycotoxins. We hope that this Special Issue of Toxins entitled “Ochratoxins” will provide the readership with a better understanding of the key issues being addressed at the present time.

Prof. Dr. Richard A. Manderville
Prof. Dr. Annie Pfohl-Leszkowicz
Editors

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