Positive correlation between high levels of ochratoxin A and resveratrol-related compounds in red wines

The natural occurrence of ochratoxin A in red wines has been widely reported by several authors, as well as a that of group of stilbenes including cis- and trans-resveratrols and related glucosylated forms. In the present study 112 samples of retail red wines were collected from northern (17), central (46), and southern (49) Italy and were analyzed for both ochratoxin A and resveratrol-related stilbenes. The mean levels of total resveratrols and total piceids were 3.14 and 5.80 mg/L, respectively, whereas the ochratoxin A mean level was 0.64 microg/L. The Merlot wines showed the highest mean value of total stilbenes, followed by Negroamaro and Negroamaro blend, Aglianico, and Syrah, all with mean levels of >10 mg/L. Ochratoxin A was detected in 70, 59, and 100% of wine samples from northern, central, and southern Italy, with mean levels of 0.12, 0.07, and 1.36 microg/L, respectively. The highest values of ochratoxin A were recorded in Negroamaro- and Primitivo-based wine samples from southern Italy, showing also the highest content of stilbenes. In wine samples from southern Italy, a positive correlation was obtained between levels of ochratoxin A and total stilbenes (r = 0.74) as well as between ochratoxin A and total resveratrols (r = 0.50) and between ochratoxin A and total piceids (r = 0.74). These results suggest that toxic levels of ochratoxin A in red wine may be, at some extent, counterbalanced by the beneficial effects of resveratrol derivatives. Further investigation should be warranted in this regard.