Cyclopiazonic acid in soft-ripened and blue cheeses marketed in the USA

ABSTRACT

Strains of Penicillium camemberti and P. roqueforti are used in the production of soft-ripened and blue-veined cheeses. However, some strains can produce toxic secondary metabolites (mycotoxins), including α-cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), a neurotoxin. Data on the levels of CPA in cheeses marketed in the USA are extremely limited. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was adapted for measuring CPA in soft-ripened and blue-veined cheeses. Recoveries from cheese curds were 103 ± 27% (n = 30). A total of 254 samples of soft-ripened, blue and miscellaneous cheeses were examined. CPA was detected in 36/79 (45.6%) of soft-ripened cheeses and in 41/168 (24.4%) of blue-veined cheeses. Median levels in positive samples were 48.5 µg/kg and 30 µg/kg, respectively. The highest levels found were 3,820 µg/kg (in a Brie), 1,250 µg/kg (in a blue) and 7,900 µg/kg (in a Monte Enebro). The implication of such exposures is unknown, as a consensus on acceptable intake remains to be established.

KEYWORDS:

• Cyclopiazonic acid
• Penicillium camemberti
• Penicillium roqueforti
• cheese
• enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
• mycotoxins

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

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Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/19393210.2022.2109213.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Projects 5010-42000-052-00D and 5010-42000-053-00D.