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Review
. 2021 Jul 10;13(7):478.
doi: 10.3390/toxins13070478.

Ochratoxins in Wines: A Review of Their Occurrence in the Last Decade, Toxicity, and Exposure Risk in Humans

Bryan Ortiz-Villeda  1 , Olga Lobos  1 , Kateryn Aguilar-Zuniga  1 , Verónica Carrasco-Sánchez  1
Affiliations
Review

Ochratoxins in Wines: A Review of Their Occurrence in the Last Decade, Toxicity, and Exposure Risk in Humans

Bryan Ortiz-Villeda et al. Toxins (Basel). .

Abstract

Ochratoxins (OTs) are mycotoxins frequently found in wines, and their contamination can occur during any stage of the winemaking process. Ochratoxin A (OTA) has been the most widely reported and the only one whose concentrations are legislated in this beverage. However, ochratoxin B, ochratoxin A methyl ester, ochratoxin B methyl ester, ochratoxin A ethyl ester, ochratoxin B ethyl ester, ochratoxin α, ochratoxin β, OTα methyl ester, OTA ethyl amide, and OTA glucose ester have also been reported in wines. Thus, detecting only OTA would lead to the underestimation of ochratoxin levels, which is a risk to human health. Considering the threat represented by the presence of ochratoxins in wines and the long-term health problems that they can cause in wine drinkers, this paper aims to review reports of the last 10 years regarding the presence of different ochratoxins in wines and how the winemaking process influences the degree of contamination, mainly by OTA. Additionally, toxicity from human exposure due to the consumption of contaminated wines is addressed.

Keywords: mycotoxins; ochratoxins; wines.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Ochratoxins structure. The red color represents the phenylalanine moiety deriving from the shikimic acid pathway. The green color represents the isocoumarin nucleus. OTA: ochratoxin A; MeOTA: ochratoxin A methyl ester; OTC: ochratoxin C; OTB: ochratoxin B; MeOTB: ochratoxin B methyl ester; EtOTB: ochratoxin B ethyl ester, OTα, and OTβ.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Biotransformation associated with OTA.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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