title: Higher Levels of Aflatoxin M1 Contamination and Poorer Composition of Milk Supplied by Informal Milk Marketing Chains in Pakistan.
abstract: The present study was conducted to observe the seasonal variation in aflatoxin M1 and nutritional quality of milk along informal marketing chains. Milk samples (485) were collected from three different chains over a period of one year. The average concentrations of aflatoxin M1 during the autumn and monsoon seasons (2.60 and 2.59 ppb) were found to be significantly higher (standard error of the difference, SED = 0.21:p= 0.003) than in the summer (1.93 ppb). The percentage of added water in milk was significantly lower (SED = 1.54:p< 0.001) in summer (18.59%) than in the monsoon season (26.39%). There was a significantly different (SED = 2.38:p <0.001) mean percentage of water added by farmers (6.23%), small collectors (14.97%), large collectors (27.96%) and retailers (34.52%). This was reflected in changes in milk quality along the marketing chain. There was no difference (p= 0.178) in concentration of aflatoxin M1 in milk collected from the farmers (2.12 ppb), small collectors (2.23 ppb), large collectors (2.36 ppb) and retailers (2.58 ppb). The high levels of contamination found in this study, which exceed the standards set by European Union (0.05 ppb) and USFDA (0.5 ppb), demand radical intervention by regulatory authorities and mass awareness of the consequences for consumer health and safety.
authors.affiliation: Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Charles Sturt University, Wagga 2650, NSW, Australia. drnaveedaslam@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Naveed
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aslam
authors.affiliation: Quality Operation Laboratory, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Punjab, Pakistan. yasintipu@uvas.edu.pk.
authors.forename: Muhammad Yasin
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Tipu
authors.affiliation: Agriculture Sector Linkages Program Dairy Project, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Punjab, Pakistan. drishaq_rai@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishaq
authors.affiliation: Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Charles Sturt University, Wagga 2650, NSW, Australia. acowling@csu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cowling
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural, University of Melbourne, Werribee 3030, VIC, Australia. david.mcgill@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McGill
authors.affiliation: Agriculture Sector Linkages Program Dairy Project, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Punjab, Pakistan. hassanwarriach71@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Hassan Mahmood
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Warriach
authors.affiliation: Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Charles Sturt University, Wagga 2650, NSW, Australia. pwynn@csu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wynn
mesh_terms: D016607:Aflatoxin M1 / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D007785:Lactose / Q000032:analysis; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D010154:Pakistan
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D008894:Milk Proteins; D016607:Aflatoxin M1; D007785:Lactose
keywords: AFM1; adulteration; milk composition; milk value chains; smallholder dairy production