Assessment of aflatoxin M1 levels in pasteurised milk, raw milk, and cheese in Arak, Iran

Abstract

Aflatoxins are fungal toxins, which may be found in food and due to negative health effects, they are of major concerns for human health and food industries. Aflatoxin M₁ contamination in dairy products in Arak, Iran, 2013 was evaluated using ELISA method. Sample groups were comprised of 111 samples, including pasteurized milk (n = 56), raw milk (n = 16) and cheese (n = 39), and were analyzed for AfM₁ content. The results showed that 93.7% of the samples were positive with the total average concentration of 85.8 µg/L in milk and 30.39 µg/kg in cheese. Moreover, AfM₁ of 94.4% of milk samples and 92.3% of cheese samples was above the standards of Iran and EU.

• Aflatoxin M1
• cheese
• ELISA
• food safety
• pasteurised milk
• raw milk

Acknowledgments

This study was approved and supported by research and ethics committees of Arak University of Medical sciences and based on the Helsinki ethical principles.

Declaration of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.