Ochratoxin A: a new challenge for Australia's grape products industries?

Abstract

Ochratoxin A (OA) was first isolated from Aspergillus ochraceus in 1965 in a laboratory study searching for new toxic metabolites from moulds. At the time, there was no connection with any animal or human disease. OA was found as a natural contaminant of maize in 1969 in the USA and, about the same time, studies were being conducted in Scandinavia on a kidney disease in pigs which appeared to be related to mouldy feed. These studies showed that OA was the cause of the disease now known as porcine nephropathy.