The use of aflatoxin M1 monitoring for studying levels of exposure to aflatoxin for mothers and children.

The present study was carried out in Abu Dhabi to evaluate the levels of contamination of mother's milk with the 4-hydroxy metabolite of aflatoxin B1. More than 22 nationalities living in Abu Dhabi were chosen as donors for this study. These different nationalities have different food habits. Most of those donors with the exception of U.A.E. have come to U.A.E. at ages 18 - 35 years. Their previous food habits have been looked into in comparison with the present style of life in U.A.E. The present study revealed that mother's milk is showing an increase in the level of aflatoxin contamination. The level of AFM; in mother's milk was as high as 3 ng / ml and, from 445 mother donors, AFM1 was detected in 99.5% of mother's breast milk. Analysis of the data shows no significant correlation between nationalities and total fat content of mother's milk with the level of AFM1. However, a detailed analysis of the composition of the milk fat revealed that milk rich in saturated fatty acid may be associated with high level of aflatoxin M1. In contrast milk containing high AFM1 usually had low levels of linoleic acid. High concentration of Lactose, the sole carbohydrate in human milk, has no association with AFM1 levels. It was found that a high protein content in the diet may be associated with high AFM1, in the mother's milk. Clearly the interaction between dietary factors, the presence of AFB1 in the diet, and the physiology of milk production are complex