Survey of the Occurrence of Aflatoxin M1 in Dairy Products Marketed in Italy

Abstract

During 1995, 159 samples of milk, 97 samples of dry milk for infant formula, and 114 samples of yogurt were randomly collected in supermarkets and drug stores in four large Italian cities and checked for aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) by immunoaffinity column extraction and HPLC. AFM1 was detected in 136 (86%) of the milk samples (in amounts ranging from < 1 ng/liter to 108.5 ng/liter; mean level: 10.19 ng/liter), in 81 (84%) of the dry milk samples (in amounts ranging from < 1 ng/liter to 101.3 ng/kg; mean level: 21.77 ng/kg), and in 91 (80%) of the yogurt samples (in amounts ranging from < 1 ng/liter to 496.5 ng/liter; mean level: 18.08 ng/liter). Altogether, only two samples of milk, two samples of yogurt, and one sample of dry milk had levels of AFM1 exceeding the Swiss legal limits, which are the most restrictive in the world. AFM1 contamination levels in milk and yogurt samples collected in the period of November to April were ca. four times as high as those in samples collected in the period of May to October. It is concluded that during 1995, despite the widespread occurrence of AFM1, the mean contamination levels in dairy products sold in Italy were not a serious human health hazard.

Aflatoxin M1 in milk by immunoaffinity column cleanup with TLC/HPLC determination

“…In comparison with recent data reporting the incidence of AFM 1 reported by others investigators (3,4,5,9,10,11,15,17,19,25) the results of this study are comparable with those presented in other countries, showing high incidence at low levels. According to Galvano et al (4), in recent years the incidence of AFM 1 has been balanced on the one hand by the higher efficiency of analytical methods, and on the other hand by the setting of a stricter regulatory limit for aflatoxins in feed and milk.…”

The Determination of AFM1 and AFM2 in the Crude Milk by HPLC in the Province of Diyala

“…The results of this study revealed that twelve species isolated from 100 samples of crude milks collected from The incidence of AFM1 and AFM2 observed in the present study was higher than the incidence of AFM1 and AFM2 reported by other authors [Galvano et al, 1998, kim et al, 2000, Rossi et al,. 2002.…”

Aflatoxin M1 contamination in dairy products marketed in Iran during winter and summer

“…The incidence of AFM 1 in 114 samples of yoghurt collected from four large Italian cities has been reported by Galvano et al (1998). They observed that 91 (80%) samples were contaminated with AFM 1 ; and only two (1.8%) samples were above the 0.050 lg/l.…”