In non-ruminant species such as pigs, chickens, rabbits and rats, around half of the ingested ochratoxin A may be absorbed 13, 14 , The absorbed ochratoxin A is distributed via blood, mainly to the kidneys, and at lower concentrations to the liver, muscle and fat, with a proportion metabolised into the non-toxic metabolite ochratoxin alpha and other less toxic minor metabolites at various sites in