title: Aflatoxin B1 and its interconverting metabolite aflatoxicol in milk: the situation in Mexico.
abstract: Between 1996 and 1998, 580 litres of milk in Mexico were surveyed for aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) and its metabolite aflatoxicol (AFL), which are mutagenic and carcinogenic mycotoxins that interconvert AFB(1)-AFL-AFB(1). The seven most consumed brands from different regions of Mexico included pasteurized and ultrapasteurized milk with four different fat levels: whole fat (28-33 g l(-1)), half-skimmed (10-20 g l(-1)), light (1-4 g l(-1)) and with vegetable oil (33 g l(-1)). Aflatoxins in each sample were concentrated with total aflatoxin immunoaffinity columns and quantitated by high-performance liquid chromatography. A milk sample was considered contaminated if it contained >/=0.05 microg l(-1) AFL. Pasteurization and ultrapasteurization of milk did not control contamination with AFL, which was present in 13% of samples at >/=0.05 microg l(-1) and in 8% at >/=0.5 microg l(-1), with a range of AFL from 0 to 12.4 microg l(-1). AFB(1) was present mainly in traces (0-0.4 microg l(-1)). The safest milk in relation to AFL contamination was imported milk powder with vegetable oil. There was a significant correlation between contamination of milk with AFL and the autumn (p<0.0002); the fat content was not significant.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Botánica, Instituto de Biología,Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Delegación Coyoacán, 04510 México D.F. magdac@servidor.unam.mx
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carvajal
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rojo
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Méndez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bolaños
mesh_terms: D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000032:analysis*; D016607:Aflatoxin M1 / Q000032:analysis; D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000032:analysis; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D008800:Mexico; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000032:analysis; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D002273:Carcinogens; D004041:Dietary Fats; D009183:Mycotoxins; C012170:aflatoxicol; D016607:Aflatoxin M1; D016604:Aflatoxin B1