Natural Occurrence of Ochratoxins in Indian Coffee

Ochratoxins are a group of mycotoxins produced by certain species of storage fungi like Penicillium and Aspergillus in a variety of foods. Among the several forms of naturally occurring ochratoxins, ochratoxin A is by far the most frequently found and toxicologically important analogue. This compound presents nephrotoxic properties in various species of monogastric animals like pig, chicken, mouse, rat and dog and has been recognised as a causal determinant of porcine nephropathy. In humans, epidemiological studies indicated the involvement of ochratoxin A as an etiological agent for Balkan Endemic nephropathy, a chronic renal disease in people living in rural areas of Balkan regions of Eastern Europe.