Moulds and ochratoxin A in artisanal and industrial salami: methods to prevent or to eliminate the presence

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin that represents the most important secondary metabolites of different moulds belonging to various strains of Penicillium and Aspergillus. Penicillium verrucosum and Aspergillus ochraceus may produce OTA, when grow on the surfaces of foods, sausages, dry hams and other meat and product during the ripening and storage. Recently the question of moulds toxicity has attracted attention in the field of food industry. OTA presence in foodstuffs is undesirable because it has been classified by International Agency for Research of Cancer into Group “B” as a possible human carcinogen. Several studies have demonstrated that it has teratogenic, neurotoxic, genotoxic, immunotoxic and nephrotoxic properties. Considering the limiting value for OTA in meat and meat products in Italy is 1 microg/Kg (CMS n°10-09/06/1999) and the problem of its presence in foods, the aim of the work was to investigate the presence of moulds OTA producing and OTA from different Italian sausages. Additional aim was to prevent the production or to eliminate OTA from sausages. Different mould strains were isolated from the surface of the sausages and the main strains were P.oxalicum, P.olsonii, P.chrysogenum P.viridicatum, P.verrucosum, P.nordicum, Eurotium amstelodamii. OTA concentration was 0.2-2.300 microg/Kg on the casings and less than 1.0 microg/Kg inside. The best treatment used in order to eliminate OTA from the casings included brushing and washing. The effectiveness of the different treatments depended on the initial OTA concentration and on the treatment. To prevent OTA presence it needs to inoculate on the casing a starter of Penicillium nalgiovensis.