Direct and indirect contamination with ochratoxin A of ripened pork products

The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of direct and indirect contamination on ochratoxin A (OTA) levels in different ripened pork products. A total of 24 Large White pigs were fed naturally OTA contaminated diets (4 different contamination levels, from 0.40 to 171 μg kg−1) for 2 weeks. Typical Italian pork products (dry sausage, dry-cured pork neck, dry-cured streaky bacon and dry-cured ham) were prepared using the contaminated tissues and ripened in 3 dry-cured ham manufacturing plants. Plasma, organs, tissues and ripened pork products were analysed for OTA content. As regards the animals fed at a level slightly less than 50 μg kg−1, the guidance value recommended by the Commission of European Communities, the OTA levels in muscle and in the ripened products were close to 1 μg kg−1 (range of the mean values 0.65-1.62 μg kg−1), the guideline value in meat products recommended by the Italian Ministry of Health. Dry sausage and dry-cured pork neck showed significantly higher OTA concentrations than dry-cured ham and dry-cured streaky bacon. OTA was partially degraded during the long ripening time of dry-cured ham. In dry sausage and dry-cured pork neck direct contamination was low and it was not detected in dry-cured streaky bacon; on the contrary, very high OTA levels were detected in several outer dry-cured ham samples (maximum OTA value: 314 μg kg−1). These results confirmed that direct contamination should be mainly monitored in dry-cured ham, whereas indirect contamination may eventually be relevant in other ripened pork products.