Aflatoxin in imported Milk Products but BFDA does not name the specific brands

Ingesting small quantities of aflatoxins over the long term can cause liver cancer and, in some cases, lung cancer.

Aflatoxins are potent carcinogens, meaning they are agents that cause cancer.

Recently, the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA) and the Ministry of Health issued a notification stating that during their surveillance, they found that some imported milk brands contain Aflatoxin M1 above the permissible limit of 0.5 mg/kg.

Their notification stated, “Two rounds of meetings were held with the milk importers to familiarize them with the import requirements including the existing Import Guidelines and on the specific Bhutan Mandatory Standards (BMS) and also to discuss the way forward in the interest of protecting the public health.”

BFDA also announced that they will implement an import control system for milk through the issuance of import authorizations, effective from 1 July 2024.

The Bhutanese asked BFDA to disclose the exact names of the products, as rumors are surfacing about which imported milk brands containing aflatoxin and how much.

Instead of confirming the specific names of the products, BFDA stated that this issue includes all the popular milk brands imported into Bhutan.

There are more than 10,000 known species of fungi and most of them are beneficial to humans, contributing to the production of bread, cheese, antibiotics, and other products.

However, there are about 50 species of fungi that are harmful to livestock and humans, known to produce toxins collectively referred to as mycotoxins.

According to Feed-Tech the threat of mycotoxins to humans was highlighted during World War II when Russian soldiers suffered severe dermal necrosis, hemorrhages, and destruction of bone marrow after eating moldy grains. This was later discovered to be an outbreak of aflatoxin.

Aflatoxins are a group of toxins produced by three species of mold (fungi) belonging to the genus Aspergillus, namely, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, and Aspergillus nomius.

According to the report shared by the Centre for Food Safety, when cows, sheep, goats, or other ruminant animals consume feeds contaminated with aflatoxins B1 and B2, aflatoxins M1 and M2 are formed as a result of metabolic processes in the liver of ruminants. These toxins are then excreted in milk.

In other words, human beings can be exposed to the toxins through consumption of contaminated milk and other foods.

Aflatoxin M1 is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a possible human carcinogen (Group 2B). It is noted for having a cancer potency of approximately one-tenth that of aflatoxin B1.

Cows will metabolize aflatoxin B1 in contaminated feeds to give aflatoxin M1, which is found in milk.

Common cooking methods such as boiling, pressure cooking (autoclaving), and pasteurization are not sufficient to destroy aflatoxins.

Therefore, controlling aflatoxin contamination at the source is the most effective means for reducing their presence in food products.

Since aflatoxin-producing molds are more commonly found in warmer parts of the world, a wide range of tropical and subtropical crops can be affected.

Peanuts, corn, and cottonseeds, among others, are most frequently associated with aflatoxin contamination.

The primary cause of aflatoxin contamination in crops in the field is major drought, which increases their susceptibility to Aspergillus infection.

After crops are harvested, contamination can occur during storage if there is delayed drying or if the moisture level exceeds a certain critical threshold. Pests like rodents and insects present during storage may also facilitate mold infestation in certain commodities.

If necessary, physical methods such as cleaning and sorting mold-affected products, milling grains, and fermentation are known to be effective in reducing the levels of aflatoxins to acceptable levels for consumption.

Milk is an important source of aflatoxins in the human food chain. While both aflatoxins M1 and B1 can be present in milk, aflatoxin M1 is approximately ten times more abundant than aflatoxin B1 in milk.

Long-term or chronic exposure to aflatoxin has several health consequences, including its role as a potent carcinogen that can affect all organ systems, with a particular impact on the liver and kidneys.

Children are particularly affected by aflatoxin exposure, which is associated with stunted growth, delayed development, liver damage, and liver cancer.

BFDA said, “…all milk importers wishing to import milk into Bhutan shall apply for an import permit to the nearest BFDA office with all relevant documents as prescribed in the Import Permit Application.”

BFDA is also planning independent random testing to ensure that milk batches do not exceed the permissible limit for Aflatoxin M1. If any batch is found to exceed this limit, importers will be required to recall the products and take necessary actions accordingly.

Considering the potential quantity consumed by humans and the vulnerability of certain populations, exposure to aflatoxin M1 through the consumption of milk has always been a greater concern from a public health perspective compared to other aflatoxins.

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