Ochratoxin A contamination of cereals in an area of high incidence of Balkan endemic nephropathy in Bulgaria

In an effort to provide further evidence for the hypothesis that a mycotoxin is involved in the aetiology of Balkan endemic nephropathy and that the latter is associated with the occurrence of urinary system tumours, a survey was made of ochratoxin A contamination of cereal samples from an area of Bulgaria where both endemic nephropathy and urinary system tumours are prevalent and from non-endemic areas. In all, 130 samples of beans, maize and wheat flour were analysed. Ochratoxin A levels were 16.7% (25-27 micrograms/kg) in bean samples from the endemic area and 7.1% (25-50 micrograms/kg) in those from the control areas: in maize samples, the levels were 27.3% (25-35 micrograms/kg) and 9.0% (10-25 micrograms/kg), respectively.