Aflatoxin Detection in Cheese: Food Safety and Quality Control

What are the Harms of Aflotoxin Presence in Cheese?

Aflotoxin in Cheese

Cheese, which is a dairy product, is a type of food that is consumed very much in our country and in the world and has many varieties. There are 193 cheese varieties in our country. Registered cheeses from some regions are the most preferred cheeses.

Cheese within the scope of the “Turkish Food Codex Cheese Communiqué”; Cheese obtained by coagulation of the raw material using a suitable coagulant and separation of whey from the clot or coagulation after separation of the milk permeate, with different hardness and fat content, with or without salting with brine or dry salting, Cheese is defined as dairy products that are produced with or without the use of starter cultures, with or without boiling, with or without seasoning, produced in accordance with the technique, consumed before or after ripening, and showing the characteristic features specific to the variety.

Like all dairy products, cheeses must undergo certain tests and analyzes within the scope of the relevant regulations. The most important problem in cheeses is the presence of “Aflotoxin - M1”...

What is Aflatoxin?

Aflatoxins are a group of toxic secondary metabolites produced mainly by the fungi Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus and A. nomius. These species are ubiquitous in nature and can contaminate dried fruits, oilseeds, cereals and spices. These contaminants can affect plants in the field, crops, transportation or storage.

Aflotoxins harm animals and humans. They are the most potent natural mutagens and carcinogens that can bind to DNA. Aflatoxin M1 is carcinogenic to humans and is classified as a Group 2B carcinogen by IARC (1997).

When consumed, dairy products contaminated with aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) pose serious human health risks by causing liver and kidney failure. In animals, aflatoxins show acute and chronic effects, causing failure of various organs, especially liver, kidney and heart, suppression of the immune system and decreased milk and egg production.

Aflotoxin M1 is one of the test parameters that must be performed on cheeses.

Nanolab Laboratories Group continues to provide services within the scope of Aflatoxin Detection in Cheese. We also provide services in Deoxynivalenol Determination.

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