Aflatoxin M1 in Breast Milk, Cow Milk and Milk Products in Minna, Nigeria and their Predisposing Factors

Abstract

Herein is a focus on incidence and levels of Aflatoxin M 1 (AFM 1 ) in milk of breast feeding mothers, cow milk and vended milk products within Minna, Nigeria obtained by analysis of 140 samples of milk and milk products using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The findings reveal; incidence of 77.5% in human milk, and suggests that diet, socioeconomic status and ethnicity influence exposure. Nomadic cow milk samples had the highest incidence of 80%, cheese had 40% incidence, nono had 35% incidence, commercial cow milk had 25% incidence and yoghurt had 10% incidence. In a total of 69 contaminated samples, 51 were at levels above (0.05 µg/L) the EU and Nigerian legislated limit. Exposure to AFM 1 from milk and milk products at concentrations demonstrated in this investigation is of great concern as infants in the country are encouraged to be exclusively breast fed for six months after which alternative milk intake sometimes from animal origin can be sourced. Established carcinogenicity and growth impairing potentials of AFM 1 stands as sources of concern and hence the need for enforcement of the legislated limit by regulatory agencies in Nigeria.

Aflatoxin exposure among lactating women in southern Ethiopia

“…Most of the existing studies evaluated the aflatoxin exposure of lactating women using AFM 1 concentration in breast milk. Studies conducted in Nigeria (Anthony et al., 2016) and Tanzania (Fakhri et al., 2019) reported that 90% and 38% of the tested breast milk samples exceeded the EU limit of 0.025 ppb. In Sudan, half of the breast milk samples were highly contaminated with AFM 1 (Elzupir et al., 2012).…”

Occurrence and associated factors of aflatoxin M1 in raw cow milk in South Gondar Zone, North West Ethiopia, 2020

“…Urban dairy farmers may practice concentrate feeding because of the inaccessibility of other feeding mechanisms, storing animal feed in a restricted, and closed room, keep cows within a confined grazing area that may favor, and facilitate mold growth and contamination of feed by AFM1(Soler et al., 2010 ). Furthermore, urban and periurban countries may lack diversification of food items which may balance the susceptible and unsusceptible animal feeds as against monolithic susceptible animal feed (Anthony et al., 2016 ).…”

The occurrence of aflatoxin M1 in industrial and traditional fermented milk

“…However, the exact mechanisms involved in the mycotoxin decontamination during the fermentation process are not entirely understood. Several experimental data indicate that aflatoxin reduction in fermented products occurs through its binding to the cell wall components of starter cultures, as reviewed by Muaz et al (2021), or through degradation samples of yogurt were analyzed, and 10% were contaminated with AFM 1 (Anthony et al, 2016). In a study carried out in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, AFM 1 was analyzed in samples of fermented milk and yogurt, and contamination was observed in levels above 0.05 μg/L (Langat et al, 2016).…”