Annual and Seasonal Variations in Aflatoxin M1 in Milk: Updated Health Risk Assessment in Serbia

Aflatoxin M1 in milk and traditional dairy products from west part of Iran: Occurrence and seasonal variation with an emphasis on risk assessment of human exposure

Aflatoxin M1 in milk and dairy products, occurrence and recent challenges: A review

Detection of aflatoxin M1 in milk products from China by ELISA using monoclonal antibodies

Background. Aflatoxins are found in various types of food and animal feed. Food contamination with aflatoxin toxin is of particular importance today. Various studies have reported different prevalence of aflatoxin M1 in animal milk. Therefore, due to the importance of this toxin, its role in health, and lack of general statistics about it worldwide, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence of aflatoxin M1 in milk worldwide with a systematic review and meta-analysis study. Methods. In this review study, national and international databases were extracted from SID, MagIran, IranMedex, IranDoc, Embase, ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science (ISI) between January 1988 and February 2020. A random effects model was used for analysis, and heterogeneity of studies with an I2 index was investigated. Data were analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (version 2). Results. The prevalence of aflatoxin M1 in milk worldwide from January 1988 to February 2020 in 122 articles with a sample size of 18921 was 79.1% (95% CI: 75.5–82.3%). Regarding the heterogeneity based on metaregression, there was a significant difference between the effect of the year of study (p≤0.001) and sample size (p≤0.001) with the prevalence of aflatoxin M1 in animal milk. Conclusion. The results of this study show that the prevalence of aflatoxin M1 in milk is high worldwide. Therefore, considering the importance of the milk group and its products, special measures should be taken to protect the ration from aflatoxin molds and milk quality.

This study evaluated the prevalence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk marketed in Tirana, Albania, along with dietary exposure and associated potential health risks. The World Health Organization has categorized Albania in cluster G02 of GEMS/FOOD, highlighting that milk is a staple in the Albanian diet, which points to a possible health risk. A total of 141 milk samples, comprising both Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) and pasteurized types, were collected from local markets in Tirana and analyzed from March 2023 to February 2024. The determination of AFM1 levels was carried out using High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography with a Fluorescence Detector (HPLC-FLD), a precise and dependable technique for identifying and measuring aflatoxins in food products. Aflatoxin M1 was found in 62.4% of the milk samples, with 26.2% surpassing the European Union’s maximum residue levels (MRL). The mean AFM1 concentrations were 58.8 ± 95.8 ng/kg, reaching a maximum level of 399.0 ng/kg. The Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) for various groups—toddlers, children, adolescents, and adults—was determined to be 2.161, 1.297, 0.519, and 0.370 ng/kg of body weight per day, respectively. The Hazard Index (HI), derived from the AFM1 exposure for four population groups, was 10.81 (toddlers), 6.48 (children), 2.59 (adolescents), and 1.85 (adults). The Margin of Exposure (MoE) was 1.85, 3.08, 7.71, and 10.81, respectively. The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) per 100,000 people in the four groups was 0.034, 0.021, 0.008, and 0.006, respectively. The study is the first comprehensive evaluation of AFM1 prevalence, highlighting the potential risks associated with milk consumption, as milk is a dietary staple in Albanian households. It addresses a critical public health concern regarding aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) contamination in milk consumed in Tirana, Albania, by highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring, regulatory measures, and educational outreach to enhance food safety and safeguard public health in Albania, as well as in other regions facing similar concerns.

Influence of climate conditions on aflatoxin M1 contamination in raw milk from Minas Gerais State, Brazil

The objective of this network meta-analysis was to determine the efficacy of different mycotoxin binders (MTB) to reduce aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk. A literature search was conducted to identify in vivo research papers from different databases. Inclusion criteria were in vivo, dairy cows, description of the MTB used, doses of MTB, aflatoxin inclusion in the diet, and concentration of AFM1 in milk. Twenty-eight papers with 131 data points were selected. Binders used in the studies were hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS), yeast cell wall (YCW), bentonite, and mixes of several MTB (MX). The response variables were AFM1 concentration, AFM1 reduction in milk, total AFM1 excreted in milk, and transfer of aflatoxin from feed to AFM1 in milk. Data were analyzed with CINeMA and GLIMMIX procedures with the WEIGHT statement of SAS (SAS Inst. Inc.). The AFM1 concentration in milk decreased for bentonite (0.3 µg/L ± 0.05; mean ± SE) and HSCAS (0.4 µg/L ± 0.12), and tended to decrease for MX (0.6 µg/L ± 0.13) but was similar for YCW (0.6 µg/L ± 0.12), compared with control (0.7 µg/L ± 0.12). The percentage reduction of AFM1 in milk was similar for all MTB and different from control with a range of reduction from 25% for YCW to 40% for bentonite. The excretion of AFM1 in milk was lower in YCW (5.3 µg/L ± 2.37), HSCAS (13.8 µg/L ± 3.31), and MX (17.1 µg/L ± 5.64), and not affected by bentonite (16.8 µg/L ± 3.33) compared with control (22.1 µg/L ± 5.33). The transfer of aflatoxin B1 from feed into AFM1 in milk was lowest in bentonite (0.6% ± 0.12), MX (1.04% ± 0.27), and HSCAS (1.04% ± 0.21), and not affected in YCW (1.4% ± 0.10), compared with control (1.7% ± 0.35). The meta-analysis results indicate that all MTB reduced the AFM1 transfer into milk, where bentonite had the highest capacity and YCW the lowest.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk from Holstein-Friesian cows on local farms located in two different cities in Turkey, to investigate the effect of this mycotoxin on milk quality and seasonal variation, and to investigate the efficacy of a commercial clay-based binder. As part of the study, milk samples from 144 dairy cows were analyzed for the presence of AFM1 prior to the use of a clay-based toxin binder. As a result of this analysis, 26.9% of milk samples from individual animals had AFM1 levels exceeding the U.S. permissible limit of 0.5 µg/kg. In addition, AFM1 was detected in 36.5% of winter and 18.6% of summer milk samples. The presence of AFM1 caused a decrease in milk fat, dry matter, and protein levels. The affected animals were further divided into two groups: control group (n = 14) and experimental group (n = 26). The animals of the experimental group were fed 25 g/animal of clay-based binder toxin daily. The treatment group showed a gradual decrease in AFM1 levels by 24.4% on day 4 and 48.9% on day 7. In addition, the fat, non-fat solids, and protein content of milk increased significantly. As a result, a high level of AFM1 contamination in milk was detected, which can be assumed to negatively affect the quality of milk production. The use of clay-based toxin binders may be an effective method to improve milk quality and protect animal and consumer health.

Aflatoxins, produced by multiple fungal species, are present in several kinds of food items and animal feed. Several studies conducted in Pakistan have reported the presence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk. Hence, owing to the public health concern and absence of general statistics regarding the prevalence of AFM1 contamination, current study was aimed to investigate the prevalence of AFM1 in milk in Pakistan. For this study, various databases were searched from 2007 to 2020. A random effect model was applied for analytical purpose and heterogeneity of selected studies was investigated with an I2 index. Comprehensive meta-analysis (version 3) was used for analysis of data. According to the results, prevalence of AFM1 in milk was 84.4% (95% CI 75.0-90.7%). Regarding the heterogeneity based on meta-regression, it has been observed that there was a significant difference between the effect of year of study and sample size with prevalence of AFM1 in animal milk. These results suggest that AFM1 contamination in animal milk is high in Pakistan. Hence, continuous monitoring of AFM1 in animal milk requires utmost attention from the respective food and drug regulatory authorities of Pakistan so that the strict actions and preventive measures should be taken to prevent the prevalence of exposure of AFM1 in animal milk.

Assessment of aflatoxin M1 in milk and milk products from Punjab, Pakistan

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk poses a significant threat to human health. This study examined the capacity of Bacillus licheniformis CotA laccase to oxidize AFM1. The optimal conditions for the CotA laccase-catalyzed AFM1 oxidation were observed at pH 8.0 and 70 °C, achieving an AFM1 oxidation rate of 86% in 30 min. The Km and Vmax values for CotA laccase with respect to AFM1 were 18.91 μg mL-1 and 9.968 μg min-1 mg-1, respectively. Computational analysis suggested that AFM1 interacted with CotA laccase via hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions. Moreover, the oxidation products of AFM1 mediated by CotA laccase were identified as the C3-hydroxy derivatives of AFM1 by HPLC-FLD and UPLC-TOF/MS. Toxicological assessment revealed that the hepatotoxicity of AFM1 was substantially reduced following oxidation by CotA laccase. The efficacy of CotA laccase in removing AFM1 in milk was further tested, and the result showed that the enzyme agent achieved an AFM1 removal rate of 83.5% in skim milk and 65.1% in whole milk. These findings suggested that CotA laccase was a novel AFM1 oxidase capable of eliminating AFM1 in milk. More effort is still needed to improve the AFM1 oxidase activity of CotA laccase in order to shorten the processing time when applying the enzyme in the milk industry.

Evidence of low levels of aflatoxin M1 in milk and dairy products marketed in Qatar

Aflatoxin M1 contamination in raw milk from major milk-producing areas of China during four seasons of 2016

The prevalence of aflatoxin M1 in milk of Middle East region: A systematic review, meta-analysis and probabilistic health risk assessment

Rapid and automated analysis of aflatoxin M1 in milk and dairy products by online solid phase extraction coupled to ultra-high-pressure-liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry