Production, toxicity and biosynthesis of ochratoxin A: a review

Abstract:

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a secondary metabolite of fungi such as Aspergillus and Penicillium, which contaminated a variety of agricultural products and feeds such as grain, grapes, and nuts, causing serious economic losses. Moreover, increasing studies have demonstrated the liver and kidney toxicity as well as the teratogenicity, carcinogenicity, and mutagenesis of OTA, which poses a huge threat to human health. Although OTA and its derivatives have been studied comprehensively in terms of physicochemical properties, the synthesis process and regulatory mechanism of them remain unclear. This paper introduced the physicochemical properties and toxin-producing strains of OTA, reviewed the latest research progress in OTA contamination and pathogenic conditions, summarized the limit standards of different countries, expounded the synthesis mechanism of OTA, and finally discussed the future research directions. With this paper, we hope to provide data support for the risk assessment of OTA and provide theoretical reference for the research on the biosynthesis and regulatory mechanism of OTA.