Threat Coming with Milk: Aflatoxin

Abstract

Even though dairy products play an important role in infant and human nutrition, they may also cause food borne diseases. Milk toxin AFM1 is one of the most important public health hazards. This toxin is produced by animals after consuming contaminated feed with AFB1 which is known for its carsinogenic effects and then excreted in milk. Same as AFB1, AFM1 is also carsinogenic, neurotoxic, nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic and immunsupressive for humans and cannot be destroyed by sterilization or pasteurization. For that reason, studies on cost effective and rapid methods for detection and detoxification of AFM1 in milk are quite popular among researchers. In this review, the worldwide prevalence of AFM1 in milk and milk products has been presented as well as the developments in techniques to detect and detoxify.