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National Agriculture and Water Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture P.O.Box 31623, Riyad 11418, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

In a survey of the occurrence of ochratoxin A isolated from locally grown barley in Saudi Arabia, three species of the genera Eurotium were obtained. The isolates were screened for their ability to produce ochratoxin A in three different media including Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA), Yeast Extract Sucrose (YES) both as artificial media and autoclaved barley kernels (Hordeum vulgare Linn) as a natural medium. Ochratoxin A production by the isolated species was verified by means of thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results showed that all the three isolates were found to produce ochratoxin A in different concentrations. Quantities of ochratoxin A detected in YES produced by E. amstelodami, E. herbariorum and Eurotium spp were 138.21, 302.17 and 245.25 mg  1^-1 respectively. In PDA, only E. amsielodami and Eurotiun spp were able to produce ochratoxin A at concentrations of 97.14 mg 1^-1 and 205.13 mg 1^-1, respectively. Ochratoxin A produced on barley medium was 165.14, 121.39 and 214.77 mg kg^-1 for Eurotium spp, E. amstelodami and E. herbariorum, respectively. This is the first report of ochratoxin A production by E. amstelodami and Eurotium spp.

Keywords: Barley; Eurotium amstelodami; E. herbariorum; Eurotium spp; Ochratoxin A.