[Suitability analysis of tolerance limit for aflatoxin M1 in foods and Chinese population dietary exposure to aflatoxin M1 from milk].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the suitability of tolerance limit for aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in foods and Chinese population dietary exposure to AFM1 from milk.


METHODS
Milk and dairy products consumption data combined with the tolerance limit for AFM1 in foods as well as the concentration of AFM1 in milk were employed in assessment of both the intakes of AFM1 and the Chinese population long-time exposure to AFM1. AFM1 intake and the dietary exposure to projected risks for liver cancer attributable to either use of the maximum levels of AFM1 of 0.05 microg/kg milk or consumption of milk contaminated with AFM1 were assessed.


RESULTS
Assuming that all milk and dairy products on sale contain AFM1 at the level equal to the tolerance limit of 0.5 microg/kg, the total average dietary exposure to AFM1 in Chinese population will be 0.20 ng per kilogram bodyweight per day, the increased risk of liver cancer in humans will be as 0.00062 cases per 100,000 individuals per year, if the incidence of HBs Ag carriers of 7.18% takes into account. As for the milk sample contaminated with AFM1 at the level of 1.2 microg/kg analyzed and issued by the General Adminstration of Quality Surpervision Inspection and Qarantine of China in 2011, the total average long-term exposure of the Chinese population to AFM1 from this milk sample will be 0.43 ng per kilogram bodyweight per day, the increased risk of liver cancer in humans might be 0.00133 cases per 100,000 individuals per year.


CONCLUSIONS
The tolerance limit for AFM1 of 0.5 microg/kg implemented in China can effectively protect the whole population. In addition, although the health risk of short-term exposure to AFM1-contaminated milk is acceptable, the government still should take the effective measures to control the contamination of AFM1 in milk so as to reduce the Chinese long-time exposure to AFM1.
National Center for Risk Assessment of Food Safety, Beijing 100022, China. liangjiangty@163.com
Jiang
J
Liang
Xiaoyu
X
Song
Jianghui
J
Zhu
Ning
N
Li
Haibin
H
Xu
Fengqin
F
Li
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016607:Aflatoxin M1 / Q000032:analysis*; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D002417:Cattle; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D003611:Dairy Products / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000592:standards; D055815:Young Adult
D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D016607:Aflatoxin M1