Feed mill workers may handle or process maize contaminated with aflatoxins (AFs). This condition may lead to an unacceptable intake of toxins deriving from occupational exposure. This study assessed the serological and urinary levels of AFs in workers exposed to potentially contaminated dusts in two mills. From March to April 2014, blood and urine samples were collected, on Monday and Friday morning of the same working week from 29 exposed workers and 30 non-exposed controls. AFs (M1, G2, G1, B1, B2) and aflatoxicol (AFOH) A were analyzed. Each subject filled in a questionnaire to evaluate potential food-borne exposures to mycotoxins. AFs contamination in environmental dust was measured in both plants. No serum sample was found to be positive. Seventy four percent of urine samples (73.7%) revealed AFM1 presence. AFM1 mean concentration was 0.035 and 0.027 ng/mL in exposed and non-exposed workers, respectively (p = 0.432); the concentration was slightly higher in Friday’s than in Monday’s samples, in exposed workers, 0.040 versus (vs.) 0.031 and non-exposed controls (0.030 vs. 0.024, p = 0.437). Environmental AFs contamination ranged from 7.2 to 125.4 µg/kg. The findings of this study reveal the presence of higher AFs concentration in exposed workers than in non-exposed controls, although these differences are to be considered consistent with random fluctuations.

The aim of this analysis was to assess the association between consumption of maize and dairy products and urine and serum levels of aflatoxin FM1 (AFM1) in a sample of 59 males occupationally exposed (29) and non-exposed (30) to aflatoxins. Two urine samples were collected for each person; each sample was accompanied by a questionnaire on food consumption in the preceding 96 h. Given the similar levels of contamination found in exposed and non-exposed workers, the association between food consumption and AFM1 levels was analyzed by pooling samples from exposed and non-exposed workers. No serum sample was found to be positive for AFM1, whereas 74% of the urine samples were positive; the average concentration of positive samples was 0.042 ng/mL (range < limit of detection (LoD) (0.002)–0.399 ng/mL). Of the 21 samples from maize consumers, 13 were positive for AFM1 (62%), with a mean concentration of 0.026 ng/mL (range 0.006–0.088 ng/mL), while 76% (74/94) of the samples from maize non-consumers were positive (mean 0.045, range < LoD (0.002)–0.399 ng/mL). No association was found with milk or dairy products. The high urine level of aflatoxins found in both exposed and non-exposed workers was not associated with the consumption of maize or cow milk products.

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