[Investigation of aflatoxin M1 levels in raw and market milks in Mersin Province, Turkey].

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) which is produced by some Aspergillus species, mainly Aspergillus flavus, is the hydroxylated metabolite of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and can be found in milk and dairy products of livestock fed with contaminated feed. AFM1 is a potential threat to human health owing to its toxic and carcino- genic effects. This study was aimed to investigate the level of AFM1 in raw and ultra-high-temperature pasteurized (UHT) milk samples. A total of 137 milk specimens (39 from goats, 53 from cows, and 45 from UHT marketmilks) were included to the study, and AFM1 levels were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC; Aflaprep M immunoaffinity column; R-Biopharm Rhone Ltd., Glasgow) method. AFM1 positivity was detected in 14 (35.8%) goat milk samples, in 46 (86.7%) cow milk samples and 33 (73.3%) UHT milk samples, with the levels ranging from 0.0021 microg/l to 0.8666 microg/I in raw milk, and from 0.001 microg/I to 0.059 microg/I in UHT milk samples. In 10.2% (4/39) of goat milk, 73.5% (39/53) of cow milk, and 2.2% (1/45) of UHT milk samples, the toxin levels were found to be above the officially reasonable limit value (> 0.05 microg/l) recommended by Turkish Food Codex Regulation. Since AFM1 levels were found to be significantly high in the raw milk samples collected in Mersin province (located on Mediterranean part of Turkey), it was concluded that people dealing with feed, milk and dairy products should be informed about the importance of aflatoxins and the preventive measures to get protected from AFB1 and AFM1.