Ochratoxin A (OTA), a renal toxin, is produced majorly by Aspergillus and Penicillium fungal species. Ochratoxin A has been found in barley, oats, rye, wheat, coffee beans, and other plant products, with barley having a particularly high likelihood of contamination. It is also frequently found in pork intended for human consumption.

The bacteria are found in the human gut where they are considered “commensal”, which means “eating from the same dish”. They exist in the human body without either helping or hindering us.