Ochratoxin contamination in yellow coro pig feeds in Lima

© 2001 Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. All rights reserved. Peru produces and imports yellow com (Zea mo.ys) for use as a principal component in pig feed. This cereal is susceptible to ochratoxin toxin produced fungus contamination during storage and handling. Pigs are extremely sensitive to the presence of this toxin which causes nephropathy and immune-suppression, resulting in significant economic losses and posing a danger to public health through consumption of meat from infected animals or the cereal itself. In order to determine the leve! of ochratoxin contamination in the yellow com supply, a total of 62 random samples were taken from ships (n=2), markets (n=20) and farms (n=40) and evaluated using ELISA test. Of these samples, 27.42% exceeded 5 ug/kg (ppb), the maximum leve! permitted in sorne countries, but none of the samples exceeded 50 ug/kg the maximum set in other countries. These results indicate a risk of Ochratoxin contamination exists in the Peruvian yellow com supply.