Occurrence of aflatoxin M₁ in commercial pasteurized milk determined with ELISA and HPLC

Abstract

Eighty‐one samples of commercial pasteurized milk from Athens market were analysed for the presence of aflatoxin M₁ (AFM₁). A combination of a commercial ELISA kit and a modified HPLC method was applied for the rapid and reliable determination of AFM₁. AFM₁ concentrations in milk extracts were initially estimated by ELISA. Samples found to contain more than 5 ng/l were further quantitated by HPLC. Determination was performed after derivatization of AFM₁to its hydroxylated product AFM_2a. The recovery of the HPLC method used was found to be close to 100%. Thirty‐two samples contained aflatoxin M₁ at levels of 2.5–5 ng/l, none contained more than 5 ng/l, while 31 contained only traces of aflatoxin (0.5–1 ng/l). In nine samples no AFM₁ was detected. There was no seasonal influence on the aflatoxin content of the milk samples analysed.

Keywords:

• AFM₁
• AFM_2a
• pasteurized milk

Notes

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