title: Aflatoxin M1 in Cow's Milk: Method Validation for Milk Sampled in Northern Italy.
abstract: Aflatoxins (AFs) are mycotoxins produced by some species of Aspergillus. In dairy cows, ingested AFB1 is metabolized into carcinogenic AFM1 which is eliminated through milk, thus posing a risk for consumer health. Here we describe the set, validation, and application of screening (ELISA) and confirmatory (HPLC) tests carried out on milk samples collected through official control of mycotoxin levels in northern Italy over a three-year period (2012-2014). The limit of detection (LOD) was set at 5 ppt and 2 ppt for ELISA and HPLC, respectively, and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 10 ppt for confirmatory HPLC. A total of 1668 milk samples were analyzed: ELISA identified 36 (2.2%) positive milk samples that were subsequently confirmed by HPLC. The level of AFM1 in the positive samples ranged between 18 ± 2 and 208 ± 27 ppt. Of the total samples, only eight (0.5%) were found non-compliant with the EU regulatory limit (50 ppt; range 74 ± 10 to 208 ± 27 ppt). Use of ELISA and HPLC tests in series allows for high-volume analysis of samples, thus saving time and money while guaranteeing high analytical precision and accuracy.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, via Bologna 148, Turin 10154, Italy. alberto.bellio@izsto.it.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bellio
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, via Bologna 148, Turin 10154, Italy. manila.bianchi@izsto.it.
authors.forename: Daniela Manila
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, via Bologna 148, Turin 10154, Italy. monica.gramaglia@izsto.it.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gramaglia
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, via Bologna 148, Turin 10154, Italy. andrea.loria@izsto.it.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loria
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali e Alimentari, Largo Braccini, 2, Grugliasco 10095, Italy. daniele.nucera@unito.it.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nucera
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, via Bologna 148, Turin 10154, Italy. silvia.gallina@izsto.it.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gallina
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, via Bologna 148, Turin 10154, Italy. marilena.gili@izsto.it.
authors.forename: Marilena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gili
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, via Bologna 148, Turin 10154, Italy. lucia.decastelli@izso.it.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Decastelli
mesh_terms: D016607:Aflatoxin M1 / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D007558:Italy; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D016607:Aflatoxin M1
keywords: aflatoxin M1; food safety; milk