Abstract
Employing a competitive ELISA (cELISA) based on monoclonal antibody (MAb) and an immunoaffinity-column (IAC)-linked HPLC-fluorometry, ochratoxin A (OTA) levels in the plasma of 184 healthy volunteers (130 males, 54 females) and the beverages including wine, beer, coffee, grape juice, spirits and soy-sauce (138 samples in total) were surveyed in Tokyo. It was found that 85% of the total human plasma sampled in 1992, 1994, 1995 and 1996 were positive for OTA except 38% in 1994, and an average value in the positives was estimated to 68 pg/ml. This suggests that the population in Tokyo is exposed to OTA at high frequency, though the level in plasma is far less than that reported in Europe and Canada. Alcoholic drinks such red wine and beer, coffee products and soy-sauce were positive for OTA. A partial contribution of these alcoholic drinks, coffee and soy-sauce is suspected as the source of the OTA observed in the human plasma.
