Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in Moroccan foods and health risk assessment

Co-occurrence of aflatoxins (AFs) and Ochratoxin A (OTA) in staple foods in Morocco was investigated, and the associated dietary exposure was assessed. A total of 135 samples of biscuits, chips, rice, black olives, and maize were collected from various markets and analysed using immunoaffinity column clean-up followed by HPLC-FLD. AFs and OTA were detected in 8.2% of the samples, maize being the most contaminated. AFB1 in 1 rice sample reached 8.5 µg/kg, exceeding the national limit and the OTA level in 1 maize sample was 24 µg/kg, above the regulatory limit of Morocco. Exposure assessment estimated daily intakes of 1.55 and 0.039 ng/kg bw/day for OTA from maize and olives, respectively. Mycotoxin levels above regulatory limits in staple foods indicate a public health risk and underscore the need for strict monitoring and control in the Moroccan food supply chain.