Aflatoxin M1 survey on randomly collected milk powder commercialized in Argentina and Brazil

- Survey of aflatoxin M1 in powder milk.
- Measurement of the AFM1 by HPLC.
- Occurrence of aflatoxin M1 in Argentina and Brazil.

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), the main monohydroxylated of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) formed in liver and excreted in the milk, has toxicological proprieties comparable to those of AFB1, albeit a lower carcinogenic potency. The presence of AFM1 was investigated in 30 samples of powdered milk purchased in Argentina and Brazil. The samples were analyzed using an immunoaffinity column for cleanup and HPLC-FLD for determining AFM1. The quantification limit was 0.1 μg/kg. AFM1 was found in all the samples at levels ranging from 0.1 to 0.92 μg kg−1 with average concentration of 0.39 μg kg−1.