Biological Degradation of Ochratoxin A

Ocratoxina A is produced mainly by Aspergillus ochraceus and Penicillium verrucosum and it is frequently detected in cereal and grains. This mycotoxin is recognized by a range of toxicological effects and its decontamination is very important for food industries. This work aimed to evaluate the ability of the bacteria strains degrade ochratoxin The bacterial strains Sphingomonas microcystinivorans B9 and commercial Brevibacterium lineans FR13 and FR22 were inoculated with ochratoxin A. The three strains were able to degrade ocratoxin A to a less toxic phenylalanine and ochratoxin α. Considering that FR13 and FR22 is already used in food industry these can be applied to ochratoxin A decontamination to improve food quality and safety.