Abstract
Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is a mycotoxin from Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, classified as carcinogenic and hepatotoxic. The objective of the present investigation was to determine its presence in raw milk from north-central Ecuador, constituted by the provinces of Pichincha, Manabí, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. These areas represent approximately 30% of Ecuadorian milk production. By the end of the investigation, a total of 209 raw milk samples were collected, obtained both during the dry (June and August) and rainy seasons (April and November) of 2019. AFM1 concentrations were measured with lateral flow immunochromatographic assays, and 100% of the samples were positive for this mycotoxin, presenting a mean value of 0.0774 μg/kg with a range of 0.023 to 0.751 μg/kg. These AFM1 levels exceeded the European Union regulatory limit of 0.05 μg/kg in 59.3% (124/209) of samples, while only 1.9% (4/209) exceeded the Ecuadorian legal limit of 0.5 μg/kg. By using non-parametric tests, significant differences were determined (p ≤ 0.05) between the provinces for months of study, climatic season (being higher in the dry season), and climatic region (greater in the coast region). On the other hand, there were no significant differences (p ≥ 0.05) between the types of producers or between production systems. Therefore, AFM1 contamination in raw milk does not present a serious public health problem in Ecuador, but a monitoring and surveillance program for this mycotoxin in milk should be developed to prevent consumer health problems.
Highlights
Aflatoxins (AF) are mainly produced by certain strains of Aspergillus flavus or A. parasiticus [1]and endanger public and animal health [2]
The samples were collected during two seasons, being two months categorized by climatic season: April and November and
This study confirms the presence of Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in raw milk from different provinces of Ecuador, possibly due to contamination of feeds and fodders with aflatoxins, and these results suggest an increase compared to previous studies conducted in Ecuador
Summary
Aflatoxins (AF) are mainly produced by certain strains of Aspergillus flavus or A. parasiticus [1]and endanger public and animal health [2]. Its high fat solubility favors gastrointestinal absorption and can reach the liver [4], where it is metabolized by the cytochrome P450 enzyme family and is hydrolyzed into Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) or milk Aflatoxin [3]. It is transferred to milk [5] and, to milk derivatives and products [6]. AFB1 and AFM1 are carcinogenic and hepatotoxic [7]. The latter is the only mycotoxin with maximum residue limits (MRL) in milk [8], since it is not destroyed during the pasteurization process or during the preparation of dairy derivatives [9]. It has been verified that they can initiate and advance liver, lung, and colon cancer [10], reporting that 43.9% of the total annual cases of liver cancer in Bangladesh were associated with ingested AF [11]
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