Adherence to Mediterranean diet has a mediating effect inflammation as regards cardiovascular disease risk: The 10-year (2002-12) follow-up of ATTICA study

Abstract

Materials and methods: Following a market research in Greece, there were found 100 kinds of infant/toddler milk, 38 kinds of feta cheese (bulk sale) and 72 refrigerated milk. From these samples, 52 infant milk, 25 Feta cheese and 32 refrigerated milk were randomly selected. The determination of AFM1 was based on indirect immunoenzymatic ELISA method with the analytical packages Tecna (Italy) and Prognosis Biotech (Greece), for comparison purposes, strictly following the manufacturer's instructions. Results: The levels of AFM1, in all samples tested, were below the tolerable maximum level, while concentrations were very low (0.23-9.38 ng/l for infant formula, 0.54 to 4.09ng/l for cheese and 0.20-17.84ng/l for refrigerated milk). Comparing the two analytic packages, no statistically significant difference was found (p-value <0.001). Conclusions: Milk and dairy products, tested, marketed in Greece, are safe for consumption, regarding the AFM1. From a public health perspective, the results are satisfactory, given that the population exposure to AFM1, based on the nutrient profile of the Greeks, was limited.