Potential hazard of simultaneous occurrence of aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A

Contents of aflatoxin B-1 (AFB(1)) and ochratoxin A (OA) in the samples of wheat and barley were detected by RIA method. Average contents of AFB(1) in the samples of wheat and barley were 2.4 mug/kg and 2.2 mug/kg, respectively. Average contents of OA in the samples of wheat and barley were 3.1 mug/kg and 2.4 mug/kg, respectively. The contents of mycotoxins corresponded to the allowed limits in food. During the studies of mutagenic activity of mycotoxins and their combinations by means of Ames test it was found that OA could increase the mutagenicity of AFB(1) in the case of their simultaneous occurrence in the same substrate.