Can aflatoxin be in milk?
Aflatoxins are the most carcinogenic natural compounds known. Milk that is sold commercially is checked for aflatoxin M1. When aflatoxin M1 is found at concentrations of 0.5 parts per billion (ppb) or greater, the milk is discarded because it cannot be used for products that go into the human food supply.
Why aflatoxin in milk?
Aflatoxins (AFs) are mycotoxins produced by some species of Aspergillus. In dairy cows, ingested AFB1 is metabolized into carcinogenic AFM1 which is eliminated through milk, thus posing a risk for consumer health.
What foods are high in aflatoxin?
The foods and crops most likely to be contaminated with aflatoxin include:
- peanuts.
- corn.
- milk and cheese (rarely, meat can also become contaminated due to the spreading in aflatoxin in livestock feed)
- nuts (especially almonds, Brazil nuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts)
- grains including quinoa (8)
- soybeans.
- figs.
How do you test aflatoxin in milk?
While these test strip techniques are handy in testing raw cow’s milk, the preferred methods for the analysis of aflatoxin in milk remain lab-based and include enzyme-lined immunosorbent assays (ELISA), fluorescence spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
What aflatoxin means?
Listen to pronunciation. (A-fluh-TOK-sin) A harmful substance made by certain types of mold (Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus) that is often found on poorly stored grains and nuts. Consumption of foods contaminated with aflatoxin is a risk factor for primary liver cancer.
What does aflatoxin do to the body?
Aflatoxin exposure can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, convulsions acutely, and its chronic exposure can also lead to various complications like hepatotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and teratogenicity. Aflatoxin is one of the major causes of hepatocellular carcinoma in developing countries.