Salting of dry-cured meat - A potential cause of contamination with the ochratoxin A-producing species Penicillium nordicum

► Viable spores of OTA-producing Penicillium nordicum species were isolated from sea salt used for meat salting and from air of the meat-processing plant with heavy mould contamination of dry-cured meat. ► AFPL analyses of P. nordicum isolates from different sources showed that contamination of meat products via salt was possible. ► OTA production was highly reduced at high NaCl concentrations (10, 15 or 20%), while production of OTα was increased at 20% NaCl.