Determination, content analysis and removal efficiency of fining agents on ochratoxin A in Chinese wines

•A new detection method of OTA via HPLC-FD was developed.•Alkaline environment was more suitable than acid environment in OTA detection.•OTA existed in most of Chinese market wines with a low content.•The OTA intake from wine was 0.017 ng/kg (bw) per day for Chinese.•Egg white treatment (0.20 mg/mL, 48 h) was the best removal method.

A simple and convenient HPLC-FD detection method for ochratoxin A (OTA) with a high detection limit and a short run time has been developed. OTA has been found in most samples of Chinese market wine, including domestic and imported wines, but the content was not very high. Only a few wines showed an OTA content that exceeded the EC and OIV limits, indicating that most Chinese market wines were safe. The OTA intake for Chinese from wine was 0.017 ng/kg (bw) per day, which was lower than the SCF and JECFA limits and also lower than in many other countries. This was mainly due to the low per capita wine consumption in China, but it is still necessary for the Chinese government and wine makers to monitor OTA levels in wine and to establish relevant regulations. An egg white treatment (0.20 mg/mL, 48 h) was the best removal method for OTA.