No abstract

The occurrence of ochratoxin A (OTA) and OTA-producing fungi in cocoa beans has been previously reported to be linked to harvest and post-harvest treatment conditions. The aim of this study was to identify OTA-producing fungi during harvest, fermentation, drying and storage of cocoa beans from two farms located in the most important cocoa-producing region in Mexico, and their relationship with OTA levels of contamination. A high contamination of ochratoxigenic fungi was observed in drying (78.4 % ± 13.6) and storage (70.3 % ± 3.2) steps of cocoa samples from farm A. In farm B, the wash step of cocoa beans after fermentation reduced pulp residues and consequently the OTA-producing fungi infection during drying (12.7 % ± 5.8) and storage (37 % ± 10.4) steps were diminished. The main OTA-producing strain isolated from Malt Extract Agar (MEA) growth medium was Aspergillus carbonarius (14307.5 µg/kg). The presence of ochratoxigenic species was correlated to high levels of OTA measured in cocoa beans during storage in both farm A and B (304.6 ± 15.3 and 11.3 ± 0.5 µg/kg, respectively), and in fresh cocoa beans from farm B (22.2 ± 3.5 µg/kg). This study reports for the first time OTA content and ochratoxigenic species during cocoa process in Mexico. This allowed the identification and evaluation of the sanitary risks linked to Mexican cocoa production.