Abstract
The study involves the development of ochratoxin A (OTA) level in the serum of health blood donors in the Czech Republic within several years. The values have been compared with those in other countries: since 1994, OTA level has an upward trend in the Czech Republic whereas the Bavorian region in the mid-eighties of the 20th century reached eight times higher OTA values than the Czech Republic in the mid-ninethieth.
These facts are probably consequences of the food chain globalization. While comparing OTA levels in two Czech regions (Prague, Usti n./L.), a higher OTA concentration has been found in the North Bohemian region, probably due to different eating habits and economic power of the population.
OTA level was rising with higher age (retentive mechanism with decreasing glomerular filtration). The dependence of serum OTA concentration on the amount of body fat is not very significant.
