Organic wine safety: UPLC-FLD determination of Ochratoxin A in Southern Italy wines from organic farming and winemaking

A fast reversed-phase UPLC method was utilized for Ochratoxin A (OTA) determination in 55 different wine samples (red and white) produced in Southern Italy, during two vintages. All the samples came from vineyards in which the plants were subjected to organic farming and were produced according to an organic winemaking, following strict rules on processing aids. Analytical methods included the cleanup purification by using commercial immunoaffinity columns and an Acquity UPLC (R) system equipped with a fluorescent detector; the sensitivity of the analytical method was 0.01 ng mL(-1). OTA was detected in all wine samples analyzed and the levels were always below the maximum tolerable EU limit (2 ng mL(-1)); the red wine samples proved to be more contaminated than the white ones. The occurrence incidence of OTA in wines produced according organic farming and winemaking was comparable with that of commercial wines conventionally produced and wines obtained from organic farming only. The results of this study indicate a low risk of exposure to OTA by consumption of these wines.