Risk associated with the intake of aflatoxin M1 from milk in Iran

Aflatoxin M-1 is an oxidative metabolite of aflatoxin B-1 formed in liver and excreted into milk, urine and faeces of dairy cattle and other mammalian species. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified aflatoxin M-1 in Group 2B because of its potential to get bioactivated to a mutagen analogous to aflatoxin B-1. Risk assessments are undertaken to guide food regulators and scientists in risk management processes, such as the legislative levels or guideline targets for mycotoxins in food supplies. Using existing international resources for hazard data and local exposure data, and based on cancer potency as the endpoint, the risk of exposure to aflatoxin M-1 in milk for the Iranian population was calculated considering various scenarios. During 2014-2015, 518 samples were collected from the market and tested for aflatoxin M-1 contamination by HPLC-FLD. The most probable scenarios calculated as mean occurrence multiplied by the mean consumption in consumers of milk, and for maximum level allowed for aflatoxin M-1 in milk with 99 percentiles of milk consumption showed the risk of 0.08 and 0.72 additional liver cancer cases per year for the Iranian population, respectively. Thus, our study reveals a low risk and that the current maximum limit of 100 ng/l for aflatoxin M-1 in milk, heat treated milk and flavoured milk is sustainable.