A survey of concentration of aflatoxin M1 in dairy products marketed in Turkey

The aim of this study was to examine the presence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in dairy product samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Aflatoxin M1 were found in 135 (64%) out of 210 analyzed samples. Only 7% of dairy product samples were contaminated at levels above the legal limits. AFM1 was detected in 43 (86%) of milk samples (ranging from 1 to 30 ng/l), in 38 (63%) of cheese (ranging from 12 to 378 ng/kg), in 28 (56%) of yoghurt (ranging from 2.5 to 78 ng/kg) and in 26 (52%) of dairy dessert samples (ranging from 1.5 to 80 ng/kg). None of the raw milk samples contained levels above the Turkish legal limit. The AFM1 levels of 7(14%) yoghurt, 5 (10%) dairy dessert and 3 (5%) cheese samples were above the limits of the Turkish Food Codex. It is emphasized that the presence of AFM1 in dairy products may be regarded as a potential hazard for human health.