DETECTION OF AFLATOXIN M1 IN BULK-TANK MILK AND SHEEP CHEESE

The Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) content in 118 bulk-tank sheep milk samples was evaluated using an ELISA commercial kit. During a lactation, three bulk-tank milk samples were collected from each of 40 semi-extensive farms, selected on the basis of high level of concentrate supplementation as risk factor for exposure to Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). The AFM1 content was also determined in 38 sheep cheese samples collected from a dairy plant where the farms enrolled in the survey shipped the milk. In the three sampling the concentrate supplementation recorded in the farms ranged between (mean±sd) 492.2±257.7 and 397.7±214.3. AFM1 was detected in 1 bulk-tank sheep milk sample (0.8%) at concentrations as little as 5.2 ng/L while in 117 it was not detectable (<5 ng/L). AFM1 was also detected in 5 (13.2%) out of 38 samples of ripened sheep cheese at levels (mean±sd) of 58.1±7.8 ng/Kg. A very low AFM1 content in bulk mik and cheese was observed, as the result of the implementation of good agricultural and good farming practices.