Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in Brazilian paprika

Seventy paprika samples collected in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, from January to April 2006 were analysed for aflatoxins and ochratoxin A (OTA) using an immunoaffinity column clean-up and HPLC-FLD. For aflatoxins, the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.23, 0.23, 0.45 and 0.45 μg/kg for AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2, respectively. For OTA the LOQ was 0.80 μg/kg. Aflatoxins were found in 82.9% of samples and AFB1 was detected in 61.4% at levels ranging from 0.5 to 7.3 μg/kg with mean concentration of 3.4 μg/kg. OTA was found in 85.7% at levels ranging from 0.24 to 97.2 μg/kg with mean concentration of 7.0 μg/kg.