Presence of Mycotoxins in Feed and Dairy Products of Cattle in Paraná, Brazil

Abstract

Milk contamination by mycotoxins is considered a public health problem. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify these contaminants in concentrates and in the milk from 31 high-producing herds. Only two of the 55 concentrate samples analyzed showed the presence of aflatoxin G1 (AFG1, 3.2 and 3.6 μg·kg-1). AFM1 was detected in 93.5% of the 62 milk samples analyzed with a range from 0.045 to 0.442 μg·L-1. All of the AFM1 concentrations were below the maximum limit tolerated (0.5 μg·kg-1) by the Brazilian Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA). There was no difference in AFM1 contamination levels for both sampling periods (summer and winter). In conclusion, the AFM1 contamination in animal feed and, consequently, in milk is within the limits tolerated by ANVISA for Brazil (≤ 0.5 μg·kg-1). Furthermore, no season effect on AFM1 levels was found.