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Hassouna KB, Salah-Abbès JB, Chaieb K, Abbès S, Ferrer E, Martí-Quijal FJ, Pallarés N, Berrada H. The Occurrence and Health Risk Assessment of Aflatoxin M1 in Raw Cow Milk Collected from Tunisia during a Hot Lactating Season. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:518. [PMID: 37755944 PMCID: PMC10537819 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15090518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Milk is a staple food that is essential for human nutrition because of its high nutrient content and health benefits. However, it is susceptible to being contaminated by Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), which is a toxic metabolite of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) presented in cow feeds. This research investigated AFM1 in Tunisian raw cow milk samples. A total of 122 samples were collected at random from two different regions in 2022 (Beja and Mahdia). AFM1 was extracted from milk using the QuEChERS method, and contamination amounts were determined using liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with fluorescence detection (FD). Good recoveries were shown with intra-day and inter-day precisions of 97 and 103%, respectively, and detection and quantification levels of 0.003 and 0.01 µg/L, respectively. AFM1 was found in 97.54% of the samples, with amounts varying from values below the LOQ to 197.37 µg/L. Lower AFM1 was observed in Mahdia (mean: 39.37 µg/L), respectively. In positive samples, all AFM1 concentrations exceeded the EU maximum permitted level (0.050 µg/L) for AFM1 in milk. In Tunisia, a maximum permitted level for AFM1 in milk and milk products has not been established. The risk assessment of AFM1 was also determined. Briefly, the estimated intake amount of AFM1 by Tunisian adults through raw cow milk consumption was 0.032 µg/kg body weight/day. The Margin of Exposure (MOE) values obtained were lower than 10,000. According to the findings, controls as well as the establishment of regulations for AFM1 in milk are required in Tunisia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khouloud Ben Hassouna
- Laboratory of Genetic, Biodiversity and Bio-Resources Valorisation, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia; (K.B.H.); (J.B.S.-A.); (S.A.)
- Laboratory of Analysis, Treatment and Valorization of Environmental Pollutants and Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, Monastir University, Monastir 5000, Tunisia
| | - Jalila Ben Salah-Abbès
- Laboratory of Genetic, Biodiversity and Bio-Resources Valorisation, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia; (K.B.H.); (J.B.S.-A.); (S.A.)
| | - Kamel Chaieb
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Samir Abbès
- Laboratory of Genetic, Biodiversity and Bio-Resources Valorisation, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia; (K.B.H.); (J.B.S.-A.); (S.A.)
- High Institute of Biotechnology of Béja, University of Jendouba, Jendouba 8189, Tunisia
| | - Emilia Ferrer
- Nutrition and Food Science Area, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Science, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitat de València, Burjassot, 46100 València, Spain; (E.F.); (F.J.M.-Q.); (H.B.)
| | - Francisco J. Martí-Quijal
- Nutrition and Food Science Area, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Science, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitat de València, Burjassot, 46100 València, Spain; (E.F.); (F.J.M.-Q.); (H.B.)
| | - Noelia Pallarés
- Nutrition and Food Science Area, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Science, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitat de València, Burjassot, 46100 València, Spain; (E.F.); (F.J.M.-Q.); (H.B.)
| | - Houda Berrada
- Nutrition and Food Science Area, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Science, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitat de València, Burjassot, 46100 València, Spain; (E.F.); (F.J.M.-Q.); (H.B.)
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