Preliminary study of the measurement of Ochratoxin A in coffee beans using
disposable screen-printed electrodes in a collector-generator configuration

A preliminary study is proposed to examine whether Ochratoxin A (OTA) in Thai coffee beans can be measured at a concentration low enough to meet EU regulatory requirements (approx. 2.5 nM). An electrochemical detection scheme is proposed based on screen-printed electrodes used in a collector-generator configuration. The generator electrode is proposed to be a carbon track, which will liberate Cl^- by the OTA reaction. The collector electrode will be a silver track which will detect the liberated Cl^- ions by cathodic stripping voltammetry. If successful, this preliminary study will provide the foundation for the development of a hand-held electrochemical device to measure OTA using disposable screen-printed electrodes. This will provide a user-friendly means of ensuring Thai coffee beans meet regulatory export standards.