Abstract
Improving both quality and quantity of food available is a pressing need especially when one eighth of the world’s population consumes less energy than is required for maintenance and is exposed to contaminated food, both of which lead to greater susceptibility to diseases. The Pakistani population depends heavily on milk for nutritional needs and 10% of household income is spent on milk. This commodity requires continuous monitoring and care from its site of production by smallholder dairy producers through to urban consumers along tradition milk marketing chains. Feed ingredients used as concentrate feed to enhance milk production are often contaminated with mycotoxins, which, after ingestion, are transferred into milk. Aflatoxins can contribute to the causation of liver cancers, immune system disorders, and growth-related issues in children. Moreover, deaths in both humans and animals have also been reported after ingestion of aflatoxin-contaminated food. Studies have shown contamination of food and feed ingredients with mycotoxins, especially aflatoxins. This review places the dairy industry into context, summarizes how milk and milk products are contaminated with aflatoxins, and discusses the present legislative regulation of milk quality implemented in Pakistan. There is a need to eliminate fungus-susceptible animal feed ingredients, which are the source of mycotoxins so prevalent in the milk marketed to the consumer in Pakistan.
Highlights
The nutritional status and health of human populations depend heavily upon the economic status of nations
This review focuses on the risk of contamination of milk with aflatoxins and its impacts in Pakistan
Especially AFs, have been reported in animal feed in Pakistan (Table 1): their health effects are discussed in detail below
Summary
The nutritional status and health of human populations depend heavily upon the economic status of nations. Stunting and severe wasting affects 37% and 13%, respectively, in a population where 36% is under 15 years of age [4] This situation is exacerbated by the fact that 60% of workers in the country earn less than $2 a day [5]. Milk and milk products are important in providing nutrition to the poor population in Pakistan and one fourth of the total household budget that goes into the food, is spent on milk [6]. Exposure to AFs has been reported to increase the risk of developing HCC by 5.5 times [23]. The toxic effects of aflatoxins, together with immunity and nutrition, negatively affect the health of the poor population [26].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
