OCCURRENCE OF AFLATOXIN M1 IN RAW ANIMAL MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

Abstract

A total of 144 samples of milk and milk products comprising 23 raw camel milk, 77 cow milk, 24 goat milk and 20 kindirmo (fermented milk) were randomly purchased across four states in northern Nigeria during July 2020 and screened for aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) using an Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The incidence (and mean values) of AFM₁ in the camel milk, cow milk, goat milk and kindirmo samples were 74 % (38 ng/L), 99 % (92 ng/L), 100 % (112 ng/L) and 100 % (145 ng/L), respectively. The mean AFM₁ levels in 22 %, 42 %, 83 % and 50 % of the camel milk, cow milk, goat milk and kindirmo samples, respectively, exceeded the European Union threshold of 50 ng/L. Results from this study suggest that consumption of raw animal milk and its products could be a contributing factor to aflatoxin exposure among households in northern Nigeria.