A study was performed to evaluate the contamination by ochratoxin A in coffee beans. Twenty-nine samples of green coffee were collected from large lots of material by representative sampling. The analyses of green coffee samples showed a significantly high contamination percentage (58%) ranging from 0.2 to 15 micrograms/kg. Naturally and artificially contaminated samples were roasted at different operation times (5-6 min) to verify the percentage of destruction of the mycotoxin. The percentage ranged from 48% to 87% and from 90% to 100% in artificially and naturally contaminated samples respectively. The beverages prepared from artificially contaminated coffee using the most common types of coffee makers showed no residues of ochratoxin A.

In order to estimate the incidence of ochratoxin A (OA) in biological fluids, a study was carried out to determine the concentration of OA in breast milk of donor mothers in Italy. Out of 111 samples, 22 were contaminated in the range 0.1-12 micrograms/kg.

A study was performed to determine aflatoxin residues in tissues and organs of male broilers and hens that had been fed a diet contaminated with 50 micrograms/kg aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Residue levels of AFB1, aflatoxicol (Ro), aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and aflatoxin B2a (AFB2a) were determined by an HPLC method and, with the exception of AFB2a, were detected in the liver, kidney and thigh of both male broilers and hens. The highest levels found were for Ro in liver (1.10 and 0.60 micrograms/kg for male broilers and hens, respectively). On the other hand no detectable amounts of aflatoxins were found in any tissue after withdrawal periods of 14 and 33 days for male broilers and laying hens respectively.

A study was undertaken to evaluate the total aflatoxin content in naturally contaminated eggs. Two pools of eggs from laying hens were collected after 2 and 7 days of treatment with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). An HPLC method has been developed for the determination of AFB1, aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), aflatoxin B2a (AFB2a) and aflatoxicol (Ro) both in free form and after release from water-soluble conjugates. The bound form was cleaned up after acid hydrolysis of the aqueous phase. Eggs collected after 2 days of treatment revealed residues of AFB1, AFB2a and Ro in the organic phase, but none in the aqueous portion. After 7 days of treatment both AFB1 and its hydroxy derivative were found in the organic phase but the aqueous portion showed only hydroxylated metabolites accounting for 35% of the total aflatoxin content.

A study was undertaken to evaluate aflatoxin B1 contamination in coffee beans. 41 samples of green coffee were collected from large lots of material by representative sampling. The raw samples were analyzed and showed no detectable levels of aflatoxin B1. In order to establish the heat stability of the toxin, 3 artificially contaminated samples (average level 10/μg/kg) were roasted atca 200°C for different operation times periods so as to reproduce light and dark roasting procedures. Each sample was roasted both electrically and by gas.The percentage of toxin destruction was up to 93% for light roasted and 99% for dark roasted coffee with a slightly higher rate up to 100% for the electrically roasted coffee for light and dark roasting. In order to evaluate the potential migration of the aflatoxin B1 into the coffee beverage, 1 sample found contaminated after roasting treatment (0.8/°g/kg) was extracted using each of the 3 most common types of coffee makers. Additional destruction of the toxin was observed (up to 99%) in two cases while only 75% of fate was obtained in the third.The process from raw coffee beans to beverage showed a meaningful destruction of aflatoxin B1, ranging from 97 to 100% depending on the extraction technique adopted in the preparation of the beverages.