Occurrence and Risk Characterization of Ochratoxin A in Commercial Cow's Milk From Markazi Province, Iran.
- 1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shab. C Islamic Azad University Shabestar Iran.
- 2Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shab. C Islamic Azad University Shabestar Iran.
- 3Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia University of Belgrade Belgrade Serbia.
Abstract
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a heat-resistant mycotoxin with recognized nephrotoxic and carcinogenic effects. This study aimed to determine OTA occurrence in commercial milk marketed in Markazi Province, Iran, and to evaluate the associated health risks for consumers. A total of 180 cow's milk samples comprising raw (n = 60), pasteurized (n = 60; seven commercial brands), and UHT milk (n = 60; twelve commercial brands) were randomly collected across four seasons from retail outlets in Arak, Khomein, and Mahallat between October 2024 and 2025. All samples were analyzed using HPLC-FLD. Dietary exposure was estimated for adults and children using the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), and risk characterization was performed using the Margin of Exposure (MOE) approach. OTA was detected in 99.44% of samples, with an overall mean concentration of 57.99 ± 37.21 ng/kg. Raw milk showed the highest contamination levels, reaching 126.90 ng/kg in summer, whereas UHT milk exhibited the lowest concentrations (10.38 ng/kg in winter). Risk assessment revealed that MOE values for neoplastic effects in children consuming raw (4356) and pasteurized milk (7967) were below the safety threshold of 10,000, indicating potential carcinogenic concern. In contrast, MOE values for adults across all milk types remained within acceptable limit. The widespread detection of OTA suggests contamination within the regional feed supply chain. Given OTA's thermal stability, lower concentrations in industrially produced UHT milk likely reflect superior hygiene and quality-control practices. These findings highlight the need for establishing national OTA limits in milk and improving feed storage and management to reduce exposure, particularly among children.
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BibTeX
@article{hashemi2026occurrence,
title = {{Occurrence and Risk Characterization of Ochratoxin A in Commercial Cow's Milk From Markazi Province, Iran.}},
author = {Pedram Hashemi and Mohammadhosein Movassaghghazani and Milica Zekovic},
journal = {Food science \& nutrition},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1002/fsn3.72517},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42948191},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Occurrence and Risk Characterization of Ochratoxin A in Commercial Cow's Milk From Markazi Province, Iran.
AU - Pedram Hashemi
AU - Mohammadhosein Movassaghghazani
AU - Milica Zekovic
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
JO - Food science & nutrition
DO - 10.1002/fsn3.72517
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42948191
AB - Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a heat-resistant mycotoxin with recognized nephrotoxic and carcinogenic effects. This study aimed to determine OTA occurrence in commercial milk marketed in Markazi Province, Iran, and to evaluate the associated health risks for consumers. A total of 180 cow's milk samples comprising raw (n = 60), pasteurized (n = 60; seven commercial brands), and UHT milk (n = 60; twelve commercial brands) were randomly collected across four seasons from retail outlets in Arak, Khomein, and Mahallat between October 2024 and 2025. All samples were analyzed using HPLC-FLD. Dietary exposure was estimated for adults and children using the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), and risk characterization was performed using the Margin of Exposure (MOE) approach. OTA was detected in 99.44% of samples, with an overall mean concentration of 57.99 ± 37.21 ng/kg. Raw milk showed the highest contamination levels, reaching 126.90 ng/kg in summer, whereas UHT milk exhibited the lowest concentrations (10.38 ng/kg in winter). Risk assessment revealed that MOE values for neoplastic effects in children consuming raw (4356) and pasteurized milk (7967) were below the safety threshold of 10,000, indicating potential carcinogenic concern. In contrast, MOE values for adults across all milk types remained within acceptable limit. The widespread detection of OTA suggests contamination within the regional feed supply chain. Given OTA's thermal stability, lower concentrations in industrially produced UHT milk likely reflect superior hygiene and quality-control practices. These findings highlight the need for establishing national OTA limits in milk and improving feed storage and management to reduce exposure, particularly among children.
SN - 2048-7177
ER -