Aflatoxin M1 Levels in Commonly Consumed Cheese and Yogurt Samples in Ankara, Turkey

The potential hazardous human exposure to aflatoxin M₁ via consumption of milk and milk products has been demonstrated by several workers. Considering its risk to human health, determination of aflatoxin M₁ levels in dairy products is important. Since there are limited data available on the occurrence of aflatoxin M₁ levels in dairy products in Turkey, the aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of this toxin in various types of commonly consumed cheese and yogurt samples in the capital city of Turkey—Ankara. For this purpose, 39 samples of cheese and 40 samples of yogurt were randomly collected from supermarkets in Ankara. Aflatoxin M₁ levels were determined by a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Aflatoxin M₁ was detected in 11 cheese samples ranging from 78.20 to 188.44 ng/kg. Thirty-two of the 40 yogurt samples had aflatoxin M₁ levels between 61.61 and 365.64 ng/kg. The results of this study indicated the importance of continuous surveillance of commonly consumed cheese and yogurt samples for aflatoxin M₁ contamination in Turkey.