• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.82-87
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• 2007

Five dogs with renal failure were referred to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at Kangwon National University. These dogs had the common history of consumption of Pedigree dry dog food produced in Thailand plant for over 1 month. The dogs showed anorexia, emaciation, vomiting, and polydipsia/polyuria. And in one severely affected dog, bloody diarrhea and hypothermia were seen. The remarkable clinicopathological signs were high value of BUN and creatinine. In some dogs, GGT, phosphorus and lipase were increased. However, no significant changes of complete blood count were found. In urinalysis, hematuria, low specific gravity urine, proteinuria, and calcium oxalate-like crystals were observed. Two severely affected dogs were died. The remained dogs were recovered gradually after change of dog food and supportive therapy. Pathological findings were seen typically in kidneys. Renal atrophy, congestion of the glomerular capillary, and diffuse degeneration, necrosis, dystrophic calcification and regeneration in the tubular epithelium were seen. Yellowish brown fluorolucent laminated materials or particles were quite often found in the lumina of the necrotizing renal tubules of cortex and medulla. Proliferation of fibrous tissue in the interstitium was also seen. By the mycotoxin analysis of the Pedigree dry dog food, ochratoxin A (OTA) and citrinin were detected as much as the concentration of 372.8 ppb and 8.3 ppb, respectively. The final diagnosis of renal failure caused by OTA and citrinin toxicosis was made on the basis of history takings, clinical signs, clinicopathological and pathological findings, and analysis of mycotoxins.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.727-727
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• 2005

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.39-40
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• 2003

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.1687-1695
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• 2016

Ochratoxin A (OTA), a mycotoxin, contaminates agricultural products and poses a serious threat to public health worldwide. Microbiological methods are known to be a promising approach for OTA biodegradation because physical and chemical methods have practical limitations. In the present study, a total of 130 fungal isolates obtained from 65 traditional Korean meju (a fermented starter for fermentation of soybeans) samples were examined for OTA-biodegradation activity using thin-layer chromatography. Two fungal isolates were selected for OTA-biodegradation activity and were identified as Aspergillus tubingensis M036 and M074 through sequence analysis of the beta-tubulin gene. After culturing both A. tubingensis isolates in Soytone-Czapek medium containing OTA (40 ng/ml), OTA-biodegradation activity was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Both A. tubingensis strains degraded OTA by more than 95.0% after 14 days, and the HPLC analysis showed that the OTA biodegradation by the A. tubingensis strains led to the production of ochratoxin α, which is much less toxic than OTA. Moreover, crude enzymes from the cultures of A. tubingensis M036 and M074 led to OTA biodegradation of 97.5% and 91.3% at pH 5, and 80.3% and 75.3% at pH 7, respectively, in a buffer solution containing OTA (40 ng/ml) after 24 h. In addition, the OTA-biodegrading fungi did not exhibit OTA production activity. Our data suggest that A. tubingensis isolates and their enzymes have the potential for practical application to reduce levels of OTA in food and feed.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.26 no.4 s.87
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• pp.487-495
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• 1998

The mycotoxins, $Aflatoxin\;B_1(B)$ and Ochratoxin A(A), were measured from the various mejus manufactured under the artificial or natural conditions by the indirect competitive ELISA; The various fungi isolated from the Korean traditional home (KTH) made meju collected were observed to produce each mycotoxin mentioned above in the toxin producing broth, but only few in the sterilized cereals of soybean under the artificial conditions. Thus, the isolated fungi were not found to produce both A and B toxins in the artificial conditions. Particularly, the any mycotoxin was not determined at the range of 0.01 to 100 ng per gm of the mejus made under the conditions of KTH widely collected in Korea. The mycotoxins produced by the meju-fermenting fungi were seemed or speculated to be degraded in KTH's mejus under the natural conditions. The species of Mucor involved in the initial stage of fermentation were discussed to be important in the fermentations of KTH mejus.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.222-227
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• 2011

The Aspergillus sp. is well known as a fungus that causes black mold disease and secretes ochratoxin A (OTA). Our study found that infection by this fungus via inoculation onto grapes produced more severe symptom in wounded berries than in fresh berries. Furthermore, OTA contents were higher on the grape skins than in the fleshy portions of the grapes. OTA accumulated during the first 3 days after inoculation, but then gradually decreased. The OTA contents in wine made from 5 kg of grapes which included 400 g of infected grapes ranged from 0.17 to 0.37 ${\mu}g/mL$. An investigation of 25 marketed commercial wines showed the OTA contents were <1.2 ${\mu}g/mL$ which is lower than the limit of 2 ${\mu}g/mL$ established by the Korea Food & Drug Administration.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.125-131
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• 2009

Korea is representative of a country that consumes herbal medicines; most of the herbal medicines circulating in South Korea have been imported from developing countries in Southeast Asia, such as China and Indonesia. Recently, domestic hygiene and safety are issues that have come to the forefront, because herbal medicines currently in circulation could possibly contain contaminants or residues. Furthermore, the appearance or discovery of harmful new species due to environmental and industrial developments is becoming a social problem. Therefore, it may be necessary to consider and investigate these matters on a continual basis. Recently, mycotoxin contaminations in such foods as cereals, nuts, and powdered red pepper have been reported. They have become a problematic issue; the possibility of contamination in herbal medicines has also been considered. Nevertheless, recognition of and research into mycotoxin contamination in herbal medicines has been scarce because herbal medicine is used in only a few nations. In this research, we identified contamination by aflatoxin which is known to be the most potent mutagenic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic mycotoxin in Thujae Semen, a herbal medicine. We also found co-contaminations involving other mycotoxins, including ochratoxin A and zeraleanone.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.336-344
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• 1998

Effects of ochratoxin A (OTA) on embryo development were studied in cultured whole embryos from 9.5 day gestation rat for 48 h. OTA (more than $0.5{\mu}g/ml$) induced microcephaly in the cultured rat whole embryos. Protein and DNA content, and DNA synthesis were significantly inhibited by OTA. We next examined whether the microcephaly seen in cultured whole embryo partially results from inhibition of differentiation of embryonic midbrain cells. Embryonic midbrain cells were extracted from 12 day gestation rat embryos, and cultured for 96 hr. OTA ibhibited cell differentiation about 50% over control. We also tested whether OTA-induced embryotoxicity would be associated with oxidative damages. We measured the ${\gamma}$-glutamyltranspeptidase (${\gamma}$-GT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities, and glutathione (GSH) content in both cultured whole embryos and embryonic midbrain cells. OTA decreased GSH content, whereas slightly increased ${\gamma}$-GT activity, but GPX activity was not significantly changed. These results show that OTA caused the microcephaly and its effect may be partially due to the inhibition of cell differentiation of embryonic midbrain cells, but the role of oxidative damages is not clear in embryotoxicity.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.353-358
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• 2007

Contamination of ochratoxin A (OTA) was studied in 194 compound feeds and 59 feed ingredients samples distributed in South KOREA in 2006 and 2007. The degree of OTA contamination in feed ingredients was 27%, and its detected levels were ranged from 0.27 to 3.39 ppb. Seventy six percent of compound feeds were contaminated with OTA at concentration between 0.21 and 13.64 ppb. The highest degree of OTA contamination was observed in compound feeds for dairy cattle (96%) followed by for poultry (85%) and swine (79%). Beef cattle exhibited the highest level of OTA contamination (2.2 ppb). Compound feeds for dairy cattle and feed ingredients for vegetable proteins showed relative lower level of contamination at 1.6 and 1.2 ppb, respectively.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.1051-1056
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• 2002

In vitro binding efficacy of esterified glucomannan (E-GM) (0.1%) on aflatoxin B1 (AF) (300 ppb), ochratoxin A (OA) (2 ppm) and T-2 toxin (T-2) (3 ppm), when present alone or in combination, was evaluated in toxin-contaminated feed at pH 4.5 and 6.5. Esterified glucomannan showed significantly (p<0.01) higher binding with AF (81.6%), whereas those recorded with T-2 (27.8%) and OA (25.6%) were moderate. Binding of each toxin decreased as the number of toxins in feed increased. pH of medium showed no effect on mycotoxin binding ability of E-GM. A $2{\times}2{\times}2{\times}2$ factorial experiment of 5 week duration was conducted to study the effects of two dietary levels each of AF (0 and 300 ppb), OA (0 and 2 ppm), T-2 (0 and 3 ppm ) and E-GM (0 and 0.1%) on the immune competence of a total of 960 day-old commercial broilers. Reductions in size of thymus (by AF and T-2) and bursa (by AF) and antibody titers against Newcastle disease and Infectious Bursal disease (by all the toxins) were noted. Additive and antagonistic interactions were seen among the toxins on certain parameters. Esterified glucomannan significantly (p<0.01) improved antibody titers and weights of bursa ofFabricius and thymus indicating its counteracting efficacy against immunosuppression in mycotoxicosis of multiple origin.