What is the impact of pasteurisation, sterilization and other processes of milk processing and dairy production on stability, especially on the toxicity of aflatoxin M1?
The maximum permissible concentrations for aflatoxin M1 in milk products are not defined at EU level and therefore do not control its content in these products, and studies have shown that AfM1 binds to casein in the cheese which can also increase its concentration in these products.
As regards the effect of pasteurization, contrasting data on AFM J thermo resistance arise from studies revealing no reduction of AFM1 under various conditions (7, 41, 48, 98, 139, 140, 155, 167), or widely variable effects (46, 57, 75,
76, 88, 104, 115, 116). Allcroft and Carnaghan (3) reported no reduction of AFM[ toxicity by pasteurization or roller drying. According to Wiseman and Marth (167), AFMJ recovery could be affected by the influence of heat treatment on milk proteins and solubility of salts. Furthermore, contrasting data could be ascribed to the wide range of temperature, different analytical methods, and employment
of both naturally and artificially contaminated milk (147).
written in article " Occurrence and Stability of Aflatoxin M1 in Milk
The absence of large significant modifications on milk composition and fatty acid profile indicates that the processes could be applied without altering the nutritional value of the milk.