Results of analyses of aflatoxin M1 in human breast milk in Jiroft city, South of Iran

Introduction and Objectives: human breast milk is the basic food of infants and possesses all the prerequisites required for an ideal carrier vehicle. Human breast milk may be contaminated with various toxins. Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), a hydroxylated metabolite of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), is formed in the liver and excreted into the human breast milk. This toxin can have immunosuppressive, mutagenic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic effects. The present study is aimed to investigate the level of AFM1 in human breast milk in Jiroft, Kerman Province, Iran.Materials and Methods: 84 human breast milk samples were collected from mothers referred to number one clinic in Jiroft city from April 2016 to January 2017. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISAs) was used to measure aflatoxin M1 in the samples.Results: AFM1 was detected in all (100%) human breast milk samples within the interval values from 3.2 to 8.8 ng/L (mean, 4.1±0.7 ng/L). Level of AFM1 in all samples was lower than the maximum tolerable limit (25 ng/L) prescribed by the European Communities and Codex Alimentarius.Conclusions: Although the present study showed the presence of AFM1 in human breast milk in Jiroft city, South of Iran, the level of AFM1 in all samples was less than the maximum tolerance limit. Therefore, it seems that infants are not at risk.

کلیدواژه ها:

Aflatoxin M1 ، Human breast milk ، Infant