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Aflatoxins are carcinogenic, highly toxic metabolites of the mold fungus varieties Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus.
Aflatoxin M1 is produced as a metabolite of aflatoxin B1. It is secreted with the milk after the feeding of aflatoxin B1 containing feed to lactating cows. As aflatoxin M1 is relatively stable towards the pasteurizing process, not only a comprehensive routine check of the raw materials to be processed is required, but also of the final products.
Since the first January 1999 EU-wide uniform residues linits for aflatoxins exist. For aflatoxin M1 the limit has been fixed at 0.05 µg/l (50 ppt).
The methods of detection used for aflatoxin M1 are HPLC-, TLC- and ELISA-methods.
Using the Ridascreen® Aflatoxin M1 test, it is possible to detect aflatoxin M1 in milk, milk powder and cheese quantitatively and with accuracy.
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