Premium
Aflatoxin contamination of consumer milk caused by contaminated rice by‐products in compound cattle feed
Author(s) -
Nordkvist Erik,
Stepinska Anna,
Häggblom Per
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.3445
Subject(s) - aflatoxin , contamination , ingredient , food science , mycotoxin , food contaminant , animal feed , meal , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , toxicology , ecology
BACKGROUND: Elevated levels of aflatoxin M1 were observed in routine checks of consumer milk in southern Sweden in early 2006. A trace‐back study revealed contaminated milk from several farms, and a total of 68 farms were banned from delivering milk to dairies for shorter or longer periods. The maximum level of aflatoxin M1 in a single sample from an individual farm was 257 ng kg −1 fresh milk. RESULTS: Aflatoxin analyses of commercial compound feed revealed that the contamination originated from the ingredient rice feed meal, a by‐product from the preparation of Basmati rice for human consumption. Up to 56 µg kg −1 of aflatoxin B1 was found in rice feed meal at one feed mill. CONCLUSION: The present example shows that an aflatoxin‐contaminated minor feed ingredient included at less than 10% (w/w) of compound cattle feed can significantly contaminate the milk produced. This emphasises the need for effective monitoring of the feed chain of food‐producing animals in order to prevent food contamination. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry