Life Science Journal 2013; 10(4) http://www.lifesciencesite.com 3411 Aflatoxin and Ochratoxin A residues in some meat additives Waleed Rizk El-Ghreeb, Wageh Sobhy Darwish, Ahmed Elsayed Tharwat, Kamal Ibrahim EL-Desoky and Mohamed Abdallah Hussein* Food Control Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519 Egypt Email: elged@zu.ed.eg * Abstract: Contamination of meat additives with mould spores and mycotoxins like, aflatoxin and ochratoxin, is a major problem in many developing countries like Egypt as it leads to great public health hazards if consumed directly or added to the meat products. In this study, we investigated the contamination of some meat additives (Starch, soy flour, nutmeg, cumin, black pepper and red pepper) with different mould genera and subsequently screened their contamination potential with some mycotoxins like aflatoxin and ochratoxin A. Our results declared that, 100 % of the meat additive and spices were contaminated by mould. Aspergillus was the most predominant genus, (detected in 100% of samples), which identified into six species. Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus were the most common Aspergillus species in this study. The means of aflatoxin residues in examined meat additive and spices arranged in descending manner as following: nutmeg > red pepper > soy-flour > starch > cummin > black pepper. However, ochratoxin A residues in examined meat additive and spices was ordered as following soy flour > nutmeg > starch > red pepper > cummin > black pepper. Great care should be taken during selection of the meat additives before introducing them to food commodities. [Waleed Rizk El-Ghreeb, Wageh Sobhy Darwish, Ahmed Elsayed Tharwat, Kamal Ibrahim EL-Desoky and Mohamed Abdallah Hussein. Aflatoxin and Ochratoxin A residues in some Egyptian meat additives. Life Sci J 2013;10(4):3411-3416]. (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com . 509 Keywords: Aflatoxin, Ochratoxin, Meat additives, Mould 1- Introduction Meat and meat products are among the most important sources of high quality protein. They supply easily absorbed iron and are rich sources of vitamins like B group Meat processing has a wide variety of non-meat products (meat additive) referred to as binders or extenders and less frequently as fillers emulsifiers or stabilizers. These products are added to basic meat formulation for reducing the formulation cost and improving the meat product quality (Bender, 1992). Most popular meat products resulting from mixing of minced meat with filling materials which are added (salt - starch - skimmed milk powder - soy bean product - cumin- red, white and black pepper- ginger) where the end product obtained after cooking give the physical characteristics of required product. Storage of meat additives in suitable condition such as (ambient temperature, relative humidity and air circulation) considered as favorable condition for mould development and mycotoxin production. Consumption of food contaminated with moulds and their toxic metabolites results in development of food- borne mycotoxicosis (Miraglia et al., 2009). Mould toxicity has attracted attention, especially in the fields of agriculture and food industry. Microscopic filamentous fungi often contaminate vegetable and animal products, becoming a source of diseases in man and slaughter animals ( Laciakovei and Lack, 1994). Mycotoxicosis is example of "poisoning by natural means" and thus is analogous to the pathologies caused by exposure to pesticides or heavy metals residues. The symptoms of mycotoxicosis depend on the type of mycotoxin, the amount and duration of the exposure, the age and health of the exposed individual, and many poorly understood synergistic effects involving genetics, dietary status, and interaction with other toxic insults ( Bennett and Klich, 2003). Aflatoxin, toxic metabolites of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus fungi, are naturally occurring contaminants of food. Aflatoxins have been recognized as significant contaminants by the agricultural production community since the 1960s and control strategies have mostly eliminated harmful exposures in developed countries (Guo, 2000). Ochratoxin A (OTA), the major compound, has been found in more than 10 countries in Europe and the USA. Ochratoxin formation by Aspergillus species appears to be limited to conditions of high humidity and temperature. Some Penicillium species may produce ochratoxin at temperatures as low as 5° C. OTA has been implicated in a human disease of kidney referred to as Balkan endemic nephropathy, characterized by tubular interstitial nephritis and associated with high incidence of kidney, pelvis, ureter and urinary bladder rumors in some eastern European countries (Pfohl-Lesskowicz et al., 2002). The regulation of mycotoxin in food and feed started in 1974, the number of countries with specific