Two-year survey of aflatoxin M1 in milk marketed in Albania, and human exposure assessment

Abstract

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), a metabolite of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), is detected in milk obtained from ruminants fed AFB1-contaminated feedstuff. Considering the potential risk of aflatoxin exposure for human health, the AFM1 content in milk and dairy products is regularly monitored. A survey on AFM1 contamination in milk from retail markets consumed in Albania was conducted in 2019–2020. A total of 119 cow milk samples, subjected to pasteurization and ultra-high temperature (UHT) treatment, were collected, and the AFM1 content was analyzed using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. AFM1 was detected in 62 of the 119 milk samples (52.10%). AFM1 contamination in pasteurized milk was higher than that in UHT milk samples (59.68% and 43.86%, respectively). Although the mean AFM1 concentration for the analyzed samples was 0.022 μg kg−1, the maximum AFM1 content of 0.217 μg kg−1 was found in milk samples collected in the autumn of 2019. Seven milk samples (5.88%) contained AFM1 at levels exceeding the European Union maximum residue permitted level. Overall, milk samples from 2019 had greater AFM1 contamination (81.36%) than those from 2020 (23.33%). The Human Exposure Assessment revealed that the Average Daily Dose (ADD) for adults was 0.082–0.096 ng kg−1 body weight (bw)/day. Also, the ADD was considerably higher in 2019 than in 2020 with no significant difference between the seasons.