OCHRATOXIN A DETERMINATION IN CURED HAM BY HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY FLUORESCENCE DETECTION AND ULTRA PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY TANDEM MASS SPECTROMETRY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin that occurs in raw material and in several foods including meat and meat products. Cured ham may be contaminated by OTA directly for Aspergillus and Penicillium attack or indirectly as resulting from the carry-over of contaminated feeds to the edible tissues and organs of pigs. Due to OTA possible carcinogenic activity, the Italian Ministry of Health, took a precautionary measure, and a guideline value of 1 mu g/kg of OTA in pork meat and derived products is in place. Analytical validated methods for the detection of OTA in meat products are required in order to comply with the guideline value and to respond to the official control requirements. Two validated methods are proposed, one based on high performance liquid chromatography fluorescence detection and one based on ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The obtained data showed the strengths and also the limits of the two methods in terms of accuracy, limit of detection, and limit of quantification. The goal of this study was to identify the most suitable strategy for OTA determination in cured ham.