• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2019

In general, milk is a nutritious food and is very helpful in improving and maintaining a person's health. However, over the past 30 years, a number of studies have reported the presence of Aflatoxin M1 in milk and milk products worldwide. The contamination with Aflatoxin M1 in milk and dairy products has become an important issue all over the world. The presence of the mycotoxin in these products was a major concern particularly among children and infants, who are more sensitive than adults. This study reviewed recent data to summarize the current status of Aflatoxin M1 in milk and dairy products produced in various regions around the world, related regulations, reduction strategies, detection methods, and future research tasks. Strict regulation and superior milk-handling techniques are essential to minimize Aflatoxin M1 contamination in milk and dairy products using ever-evolving analytical techniques. Furthermore, education should be imparted to ensure that Aflatoxin M1 that may exist in milk and dairy products and its effects on human health are made aware of.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.247-250
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• 2012

Raw milk samples (n=28) obtained from milk tanks in 3 dairy plants of different regions and commercial milks (n=100) were collected from six cities. These samples were analyzed for the level of aflatoxin $M_1$ contamination using immunoaffinity columns and high performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescent detectors. Confirmation of aflatoxin $M_1$ ($AFM_1$) identified in positive samples was based on the formation of the hemiacetal derivative ($AFM_{2a}$) after derivatization with trifluroacetic acid. The average concentrations of aflatoxin $M_1$ in the raw milks were 25.1 ng/kg, and those values in commercial milks were 29.8 ng/kg. The highest level of aflatoxin $M_1$ in milk was 72.7 ng/kg. These results showed that the contamination of aflatoxin $M_1$ in milks consumed in the Korea was quite low compared to the standard in Korea Food Code (aflatoxin $M_1$ 500 ng/kg).

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.190-197
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• 2016

Aflatoxin M₁ can be produced in cow’s milk when cows eat contaminated produce. Milk is a major source of food for infants and for children who have a weak level of immunity, and the detection of Aflatoxin M₁ for risk assessment is necessary in order to reduce the amount of it in milk. In this study, the Aflatoxin M₁ level was monitored for one year in raw milk samples obtained from Chungnam Province, Korea. The milk samples were divided into three categories: 1. milk samples from a standard general farm, 2. milk samples from a HACCP controlled farm, and 3. milk samples from the supply of Aflatoxin M₁ reduced fodder. The average concentrations of Aflatoxin M₁ in milk were 0.023±0.005 ug/l for the standard general farm, 0.017±0.004 ug/l for the HACCP controlled farm, and 0.013±0.003 ug/l for the supply of Aflatoxin M₁ reduction fodder. Milk collected from the supply of Aflatoxin M₁ reduction fodder had the lowest level of Aflatoxin M₁. However, when efficiency and economic aspects are considered the most effective way of reducting Aflatoxin M₁, could be taking milk from the HACCP controlled farm and implementing good feed management. Institutional support from the government, careful management of dairy farming, and a strict farm sanitation program are required in order to lower the level of Aflatoxin M₁ in milk.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.376-378
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• 2012

Aflatoxin M1, ingested as aflatoxin B1 via contaminated feedstuff and later converted into, is a major problematic target for milk safety control among the aflatoxin class. Korean government has controlled level of AFM1 in milk at 500 ppt as maximum residue level (MRL), and more recently, government also publicized the proposal for more strict control on fungal toxins about infant and baby foods. In this study the levels of Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) of 42 marketed milk samples were determined with Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) to evaluate the status on the contamination of Aflatoxin M1. The evaluated ELISA performances of limit of detection (LOD) and the half maximal inhibitory concentration ($IC_{50}$) were 5 pg/mL (ppt) and 49 ppt, respectively. In all 42 samples, AFM1 appeared above the 5 ppt, with the average of 21 ppt and the range of up to 90 ppt. Only 3 (7%) of samples showed the level of contamination above the EU MRL (50 ppt). Although there was incidence of higher level of contamination compared with previous reports, the result of this study requires more intensive study to control of AFM1 in milk and infant foods.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.529-536
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• 2003

The growth-inhibitory activity of Cassia tora seed-derived materials against seven intestinal bacteria was examined in vitro, and compared with that of anthraquinone, anthraflavine, anthrarufin, and 1-hydroxyanthraquinone. The active constituent of C. tore seeds was characterized as quinizarin, using various spectroscopic analyses. The growth responses varied depending on the compound, dose, and bacterial strain tested. At 1 mg/disk, quinizarin exhibited a strong inhibition of Clostridium perfringens and moderate inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus without any adverse effects on the growth of Bifidobacterium adolescentis, B. bifidum, B. longum, and Lactobacillus casei. Furthermore, the isolate at 0.1 mg/disk showed moderate and no activity against C. perfringens and S. aureus. The structure-activity relationship revealed that anthrarufin, anthraflavine, and quinizarin moderately inhibited the growth of S. aureus. However. anthraquinone and 1-hydroxyanthraquinone did not inhibit the human intestinal bacteria tested. As for the morphological effect of 1 mg/disk quinizarin, most strains of C. perfringens were damaged and disappeared, indicating that the strong activity of quinizarin was morphologically exhibited against C. perfringens. The inhibitory effect on aflatoxin $B_1$ biotransformation by anthraquinones revealed that anthrarufin ($IC_50,\;11.49\mu\textrm{M}$) anthraflavine ($IC_50,\;26.94\mu\textrm{M}$), and quinizarin ($IC_50,\;4.12\mu\textrm{M}$), were potent inhibitors of aflatoxin ${B_1}-8,9-epoxide$ formation. However, anthraquinone and 1-hydroxyanthraquinone did not inhibit the mouse liver microsomal sample to convert aflatoxin $B_1$ to aflatoxin ${B_1}-8,9-epoxide$. These results indicate that the two hydroxyl groups on A ring of anthraquinones may be essential for inhibiting the formation of aflatoxin ${B_1}-8,9-epoxide$. Accordingly, as naturally occurring inhibitory agents, the C. tora seed-derived materials described could be useful as a preventive agent against diseases caused by harmful intestinal bacteria, such as clostridia, and as an inhibitory agent for the mouse liver microsomal conversion of aflatoxin $B_1$ to aflatoxin ${B_1}-8,9-epoxide$.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.630-635
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• 1996

For a survey of the occurrence of aflatoxin M$_{1}$ (AFM$_{1}$) in domestic cow's milk, we developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system, and quantitated the toxin in cow's milk. In order to produce specific antibodies AFM, conjugated to bovine serum albumin (AFM$_{1}$-BSA) and Freund's adjuvant were immunized subcutaneously to rabbits. By use of the antiserum showing the highest titer and AFB$_{1}$-HRP conjugate, we established a competitive direct ELISA (cdELISA) for AFM$_{1}$, whose detection limit was 0.003 ppb. The cross-reactivities of the antiserum against aflatoxin M$_{1}$ M$_{2}$, B$_{1}$, B$_{2}$, G$_{1}$, G$_{2}$, B$_{2a}$, and G$_{2a}$, were 100, 29.9, 25.0, 2.7, 13.0, 0.65, 0, and 0%, respectively. When the cdELISA was applied to the cow's milk spiked with AFM$_{1}$ and followed by cleanup with C$_{18}$ cartridge, the mean recovery of the assay was 104% (mean of CV, 6.4%) in the final concentration of 0.01-1 ppb (10-1, 000 ppt). When cow's milk samples gathered from markets and farms were assayed by the cdELISA, the mean concentration and SD of AFM$_{1}$ was 80.4 $\pm$ 55.0 ppt (n=64; range, 5.6-280 ppt).

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.390-394
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• 1992

Some enzymatic characteristics of the aflatoxin degrading factor produced extraceIlularly by Aspergillus awamori var. fumeus were investigated. When aflatoxin B1 was incubated with the culture filtrate of A. awamori var. fumeus. 60% of it was degraded within an hour. The degradation rate decreased with time and there was virtually no degradation after one hour. The apparent Michaelis constant ($K_m$) determined by Lineweaver-Burk plot was $10.2{\mu}M$. The optimum degradation was observed at $30^{\circ}C$ and pH 5. For the degradation, molecular oxygen seemed to be required. The degradation was enhanced by the $Co^{2+}$. but was inhibited by many other ions like $Fe^{2+}$, $Ca^{2+}$. $Mg^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$,$Cu^{2+}$, and $Ba^{2+}$, The presence of either KeN or metyrapone inhibited the reaction while that of $NaI0_4$ cytochrome C or NADPH showed no effect.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 1996

The effect of allyisothiocyanate, the mahor compound of radish on the growth of Aspergillus parasiticus R-716 and aflatoxin production, was investigated. An increase in the level of allylisothiocyanate results in a decrease both growth and aflatoxin per myclial weight, and the addition of 125 ppm allylisothocynate completely inhibited the growth of the strain. The addition of allylisothiocyanate to the culture of R-716 strain the production of aflatoxin. The inhibition of aflatoxin was more B-group than G-group and M-group during cultural period. The growth of strain and aflatoxin production were greatly affected by the addition of allylisothiocyanate.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.46-50
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• 1978

Aflatoxin, a mixture of the at least four toxic and carcinogenic metabolites, is known to be produced by only a few fungi. The toxins were designated aflatoxins because they were produced by the mold Aspergillus flavus(A. flavus). However, at least four other toxins and other species of the genus A. niger, A. parasiticus A. ruber and wentii have been reported to produce aflatoxins. And also the identical compounds may also be produced by molds, the Pencillium. At least four different species of Penicilliurn have been reported to produce aflatoxins (P. citrinurn, P. frequentans, P. puberulurn. and P. variable). So it is now known that the problem of Aflatoxin is not restricted to the single species A. flavus, even though that is a very common mold. Also additional aflatoxins have been discorvered. For sereral years, only four aflatoxins were known: $B_1, B_2, G_1$ and $G_2$, so designated by reason of their fluorescence and chromatographic charateristics. It is now known that there are really two new toxic materials in the milk. During the past year(1966) they were christened aflatoxin $M_1$ and $M_2$, since they were first found in milk. The two other and most recently discorvered aflatoxins were isolated late in 1966 from cultures of A. flavus, and were designated aflatoxin $B_2a$ and aflatoxin $G_2a$. In order to obtain a breaf information about extent of contamination of foodstuffs by aflatoxin which is known to produce eight different mold, aflatoxin detection of cereals and fermented foods on sale, such as polished rice, barley, wheat, wheat flour, lentil, red bean, soy bean, noodle, kochuj ang and Dwenjang (fermented soy bean paste) and chong Kuk, were carried out. The results of this investigation were summarized as follows: The hexane:$CHCl_3$ extracts of polished rice, barley wheat, wheat flour, lentil, red bean, noodle and kochujang yielded fluorescent spots on thin layer plates. However their Rfvalues were different from those of authentic aflatoxins. The fluorescent substances of the extract from soy bean, Dwenjang and chong kuk showed very similar Rf values to those of the standard aflatoxins. By two dimensional thin layer chromatography and comparison of ultra violet absorption spectra, it was found that these fluorescent substances were not aflatoxins. To conclude, aflatoxins themselves were not detected directly in those samples tested.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 2017

Aflatoxin $M_1$ ($AFM_1$) after its bioconversion from aflatoxin $B_1$ in animal liver becomes the part of milk while heavy metals get entry into milk and milk products during handling in the supply chain. Aflatoxin $M_1$ and heavy metals being toxic compounds are needed to be monitored continuously to avoid any ailments among consumers of foods contaminated with such toxicants. Thirteen commercially available infant formula milk (IFM) brands available in Pakistani markets were analyzed for the quantitative determination of $AFM_1$ and heavy metals through ELISA and atomic absorption spectrophotometer, respectively. $AFM_1$ was found positive in 53.84% samples while 30.76% samples were found exceeding the maximum EU limit i.e. $0.025 {\mu}g/kg$ for $AFM_1$ in IFM. Heavy metals lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) were found below the detection limits in any of the sample, whereas the concentrations of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni) ranged between 45.40-97.10, 29.72-113.50 and <$0.001-50.90 {\mu}g/kg$, respectively. The concentration of Fe in all the tested brands was found in normal ranges while the concentrations of Zn and Ni were found exceeding the standard norms. Elevated levels of $AFM_1$, Zn and Ni in some of the tested IFM brands indicated that a diet completely based on these IFM brands might pose sever health implications in the most vulnerable community i.e., infants.