Aflatoxin contamination in cow milk during wet and dry season in selected rural areas of Sidama zone Southern Ethiopia

Feed handling practices, aflatoxin awareness and children's milk consumption in the Sidama region of southern Ethiopia

“…Some of these practices can further exacerbate the contamination of the feed as they increase the moisture content [ 30 ]. Indeed, several studies conducted in Ethiopia showed high levels of aflatoxin M1 in milk [ 22 , 24 ], also translating to high aflatoxin M1 concentrations in human breastmilk [ 28 ]. AFM1 contamination has also been linked to feed storage conditions and feed type [ 23 ].…”

“…Moreover, dairy productivity is low, and dairy value chains remain highly informal and weakly monitored or regulated, making food safety issues a significant concern [ 21 ]. Meanwhile, many recent studies have reported relatively high concentrations of aflatoxin M1 in milk in Ethiopia [ [22] , [23] , [24] ]. These studies have linked aflatoxin occurrence in milk to contaminated animal feeds and indicated that contamination is likely to vary by feed storage conditions, feed type, and the knowledge and practice of actors along the dairy value chain [ 23 ].…”