Ochratoxin A, a Toxic Metabolite produced by Aspergillus ochraceus Wilh.

Abstract

Aspergillus ochraceus Wilh. is widely distributed in Nature and often found in soil and on decaying vegetation. It is, however, also known to invade stored wheat with moisture contents more than 16 per cent¹. In the far east, Asp. ochraceus and allied species have been reported as constituents of the mycoflora characteristic of ‘katsuobushi’ and other fermented fish preparations². In the United States, Patent No. 1,313,209 covers the use of Asp. ochraceus for its ability to induce a desirable change in flavour during the fermentation of coffee. This species has also been frequently recovered in low counts from South African cereal and legume crops³.