Occurrence of Aflatoxin M1 in Raw Milk in Trakya Region, Turkey

Abstract

The occurrence of aflatoxin M₁ (AFM₁) was investigated in raw cow's milk samples using an ELISA method (Ridascreen). The lower detection limit of AFM₁ test was 0.005 μg/L. The presence of AFM₁ in 90 samples of raw milk obtained at March and June 2005 from a dairy plant and 45 samples collected randomly at June 2005 in Trakya region of Turkey were analyzed. In all of the samples obtained in March the presence of aflatoxin M₁ was detected in concentrations ranging between 0.0077 and 0.0683 μg/L. Aflatoxin M₁ level in only one of positive samples was higher than the maximum tolerance limit (0.05 μg/L) accepted by Turkey and European Union countries. Incidence level of AFM₁ in month of March was higher than the month of June samples. Statistical evaluations showed that mean contamination level of AFM₁ in March samples were significantly higher (p < 0.01) than June. In addition the results showed that there were no statistical differences between AFM₁ contents of March and June samples.