Occurrence of Aflatoxin M-1 in Raw Milk in Trakya Region, Turkey

The occurrence of aflatoxin M-1 (AFM(1)) was investigated in raw cow's milk samples using an ELISA method (Ridascreen). The lower detection limit of AFM(1) test was 0.005 mu g/L The presence of AFM(1) 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 M-1 was detected in concentrations ranging between 0.0077 and 0.0683 mu g/L. Aflatoxin M-1 level in only one of positive samples was higher than the maximum tolerance limit (0.05 mu g/L) accepted by Turkey and European Union countries. Incidence level of AFM(1) in month of March was higher than the month of June samples. Statistical evaluations showed that mean contamination level of AFM, in March samples were significantly higher (p < 0.01) than June. In addition the results showed that there were no statistical differences between AFM(1) contents of March and June samples.Trakya University Research FundTrakya University [TUBAP-618]The authors gratefully acknowledge the Trakya University Research Fund for providing funding for this work (TUBAP-618)