Global systematic review and probabilistic risk assessment of ochratoxin A in dried fruits.
Ali Almasi, Kiomars Sharafi, Tooraj Massahi et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This systematic review and probabilistic risk assessment examined ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination and associated health risks in dried fruits worldwide. It included 30 studies covering 4,109 samples collected from 1999 to 2024; 63.39% were contaminated, with an estimated mean concentration of 3.12 µg/kg. Contamination varied by fruit and country: apples had the highest mean concentration (9.61 µg/kg), and dates the lowest (0.58 µg/kg). Estimated global risk was low overall, but regional assessments identified potential concerns, particularly for children in Greece and for adults and children in Greece, Iran, and Morocco.
Key findings
- OTA was detected in 63.39% of 4,109 samples, with an estimated mean concentration of 3.12 µg/kg.
- Mean concentrations ranged from 0.58 µg/kg in dates to 9.61 µg/kg in apples.
- Country-level concentrations ranged from 0.45 µg/kg in the Czech Republic to 47.51 µg/kg in Greece.
- Global risk estimates were low overall, but risk measures indicated potential concerns in Greece, Iran, and Morocco; children in Greece had an HQ near the warning threshold.
Why it matters
The findings show that a low global risk estimate can obscure substantial variation by food type and region. For food-safety assessment, both contamination levels and consumption patterns matter, and children in some settings may warrant particular attention. The review provides a basis for targeted monitoring and risk evaluation rather than assuming uniform exposure across dried fruits or countries.
What to keep in mind
The assessment draws on 30 studies with data from different fruits and countries; the abstract does not describe how representative these data are of current consumption or contamination patterns.