Aflatoxin M1 Exposure and Health Risk Assessment in Children and Adults due to Pasteurized Milk Consumption in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Milk and dairy products stand as essential sources of nutrition across all age groups. However, the presence of Aflatoxin M1, particularly common and risky for young children, necessitates careful assessment of milk. This study, conducted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, aimed to evaluate the prevalence of Aflatoxin M1 using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography in pasteurized milk and assess associated health risks using deterministic techniques. The prevalence of Aflatoxin M1 in pasteurized milk was 56.6%, with Aflatoxin M1 levels ranging from 0 to 6.27 μg/L and a mean value of 1.237 μg/L. The risk assessment revealed substantial Aflatoxin M1 exposure risk from pasteurized milk consumption, as reflected by margin of exposure values <10,000, specifically 25.9, 109.6, and 380 for children aged 2–5, 6–9, and adults, respectively. The hazard index values for pasteurized milk consumers were 110, 26, and 7.5 for children aged 2–5, 6–9, and adults, respectively. Furthermore, cancer risk calculations yielded values of 0.18, 0.04, and 0.01 per 100,000 population for children aged 2–5, 6–9, and adults, respectively, with an average potency of 0.007978 cases per 100,000/yr ng Aflatoxin M1/kg bw/day. Notably, children aged 2–5 and 6–7 face elevated risks, whereas adults face relatively lower risks.