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Determination of Aflatoxin M1 Levels in Cheese in Iran's Market Publisher



Abedini A1 ; Sadighara P2 ; Akbariadergani B3 ; Eskandari S4, 5 ; Yousefi M6
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Student Research Committee, Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Nutrition Science and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  2. 2. Division of Food Safety & Hygiene, Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  3. 3. Water Safety Research Center, Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
  4. 4. Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center (FDLRC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOH + ME), Tehran, Iran
  5. 5. Department of Food Science, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  6. 6. Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Khoy University of Medical Sciences, Khoy, Iran

Source: Journal of Food Composition and Analysis Published:2025


Abstract

Dairy products, particularly cheese, are prone to contamination by aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), a toxic compound generated by Aspergillus fungi. This study aims to determine the content of AFM1 in various types of cheese using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Among the 109 cheese samples analyzed (probiotic, ripened in brine, pizza, UF, cream cheese, pasteurized white cheese, gouda, processed cheese, traditional, and mozzarella), 61.3 % were found to contain detectable levels of AFM1. There was a significant difference (p = 0.036) between cheese ripened in brine (0.05674 µg/kg) and traditional cheese (0.00169 µg/kg). A slight difference (p = 0.057) was observed between traditional cheese (0.00169 µg/kg) and white pasteurized cheese (0.05217 µg/kg). These findings emphasize the importance of ongoing monitoring and regulatory measures to mitigate AFM1 contamination in dairy products and ensure consumer safety. © 2025 Elsevier Inc.
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