Occupational Risk Assessment of Fungal Exposure and Ochratoxin A in Coffee Production Systems in Quindío, Colombia

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin commonly associated with coffee production and represents a potential concern for occupational health due to fungal exposure in agricultural environments. This study aimed to assess occupational risk related to fungal exposure and OTA in small-scale coffee production systems in Quindío, Co-lombia. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in ten farms. OTA concen-trations in green coffee were analysed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatog-raphy with Fluorescence Detection (HPLC-FLD), while environmental variables, in-cluding temperature and relative humidity, were measured, and structured surveys were applied to evaluate agricultural practices and hygienic conditions. All samples showed OTA concentrations below the detection limit (< 0.8 µg/kg). However, compli-ance with hygienic practices averaged 48.9%, indicating deficiencies in preventive measures. Although OTA contamination was not detected under the evaluated condi-tions, the results indicate potential occupational exposure to fungal bioaerosols during coffee production activities. These findings highlight the importance of integrating en-vironmental monitoring, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and occupational risk management strategies to reduce biological hazards and protect agricultural workers.