Aflatoxins are highly toxic fungal by-products produced by certain strains of Aspergillus fungi in more than 40 susceptible crops including maize and groundnuts. Aflatoxins can be separated into aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2.
When ingested, aflatoxin B1 is metabolized to aflatoxin M1 which is secreted into milk. Aflatoxin B1 is particularly important because it has been found in most foods and animal feeds and is highly carcinogenic.
Aflatoxins cause around 90,000 cases of liver cancer each year and are strongly associated with stunting and immune suppression in children. Aflatoxins in contaminated animal feed can lead to reduced animal productivity. They can end up in products like milk, meat and eggs, thus presenting a health risk to humans, with children being particularly susceptible.
In Ethiopia, previous studies have investigated aflatoxin contamination in staple cereals, red chili pepper and ground peas. Now, a new research study published in the journal Food Control (6 July 2015) has, for the first time, documented aflatoxin contamination in milk and dairy feeds in Ethiopia and the results show that milk and dairy feeds in the Greater Addis Ababa milk shed are highly contaminated with aflatoxins.
The cross-sectional study by scientists from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) was carried out in the Greater Addis Ababa milk shed between September 2014 and February 2015 in order to detect and quantify the levels of aflatoxin M1 in samples of raw cow’s milk and aflatoxin B1 in samples of dairy feed.
The Greater Addis Ababa milk shed was selected because it is a rapidly intensifying system where aflatoxins are likely to be an increasing problem. A value chain approach was used, whereby production, processing and marketing of dairy feeds and milk were examined, as well as milk sold to consumers in Addis Ababa.
A total of 110 milk samples (100 from dairy farmers and 10 from milk traders) and 156 dairy feed samples (114 from farmers and 42 from feed producers, processors and traders) were collected and analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
The study analysed all the commonly used dairy feeds such as mixed concentrate feed, brewery by-products, maize grain, pea hulls and silage. The most common ingredients in concentrate feeds were wheat bran, noug cake, pea hulls and maize grain.
All the milk samples were found to be contaminated with aflatoxin M1. Over 90% of the milk samples contained aflatoxin M1 levels that exceeded the European Union limit of 0.05 micrograms per litre. Out of a total of 110 milk samples, only nine contained aflatoxin M1 levels below 0.05 micrograms per litre.
Similarly, all the feed samples were contaminated with aflatoxin B1, with levels ranging from 7 to 419 micrograms per kilogram. Along the value chain from farmers to feed manufacturers and traders, the levels of aflatoxin contamination were fairly similar.
Out of a total of 156 dairy feed samples, only 16 contained aflatoxin B1 at a level less than or equal to 10 micrograms per kilogram. At the same time, 41 feed samples contained aflatoxin B1 at levels exceeding 100 micrograms per kilogram.
There was a significant association between aflatoxin B1 contamination in concentrate feeds and the presence of noug cake in the feed.
Noug (Guizotia abyssinica or Niger seed) is an oilseed crop that is indigenous to Ethiopia. Noug seed is pressed to produce noug oil while the remaining noug cake is sold as animal feed to feed processors and dairy farmers. Noug cake is becoming increasingly popular among dairy farmers in Ethiopia because its high nutrient content increases animal productivity.
Noug cakes were found to be highly contaminated with aflatoxin B1 (290–397 micrograms per kilogram) while the other feed components (wheat bran, maize grain and Brewer’s dry yeast) had relatively low levels of aflatoxin.
For this reason, the authors of the study recommend that further research on aflatoxin risk mitigation should focus on noug cake so as to effectively reduce the risk of aflatoxin contamination in peri-urban and urban dairy value chains in Ethiopia. Risk assessment of aflatoxins in noug seed and its by-products in other food chains should also be carried out.
In addition, there is an overall need to increase awareness of aflatoxins and to support risk mitigation practices along the entire dairy value chain.
“Policymakers and development organization need to support the dissemination of information about good agricultural and storage practices and other simple risk-reduction measures,” the authors conclude.
Citation
Gizachew D, Szonyi B, Tegegne A, Hanson J and Grace D. Aflatoxin contamination of milk and dairy feeds in the Greater Addis Ababa milk shed, Ethiopia. Food Control 59(2016): 773-779.
You may download a 4-page brief of the research article at http://hdl.handle.net/10568/67116
Monday 20 July 2015 at 6:39 pm
Reblogged this on Dr. B. A. Usman's Blog.
Wednesday 22 July 2015 at 11:04 am
This is shocking particularly when children are mostly susceptible and hence impacting on their future life. Do we have measures which are supported with policy frameworks and enforcement to ensure the milk is safe?
Thursday 3 September 2015 at 9:41 pm
Before putting enforcement of the quality standards, there is a need to provide land security, input supply and support services (feeding, breeding, health care, marketing, housing conditions and manure management) for peri/urban smallholder dairy producers (youth, women, elderly people, etc.) who deliver bulk of milk to processors/urban consumers. Then, pilot scheme/period needed to test the roles of the stakeholders before the actual implementation of the quality control with carefully planned approach.
Thursday 5 November 2015 at 9:26 am
Oh, you seem to care about business not about our children! God forbid your advice!
Monday 21 September 2015 at 10:50 am
If the milk is boiled will be free from the fungi.
Thank you
Monday 21 September 2015 at 10:56 am
Boiling of milk kills pathogenic microorganisms. However, boiling of milk will not destroy aflatoxins.
Friday 25 September 2015 at 10:15 pm
I hope the authors will go on and do more studies on food safety across various plants and meat product too. The lax condition on this area meant producers and specially bigger commercial organisations carry on using fertilisers that are banned in EU …Often the profit driven manufacturers of the fertilisers know they can damp it in Africa in return for their investment. I am surprised they didn’t try to sabotage the study. The consequences of all this will not be known for a long time…ironically the middle class affords and consumes more milk and meat so the demography of affected people might be interesting.
Tuesday 29 September 2015 at 10:17 am
Is there any possible way to know which Farms were under investigation for this study? Is Alfa Farms one of them? Currently, ILRI Milk Committee has is getting Milk provision from this Co. owned by a Dutch man.
What is also the way forward with this? Do we stop feeding our children a cow milk? or is there any remedy for this?
Thank you!
Thursday 1 October 2015 at 11:04 am
Very informative and important findings. The storage condition of feed and cereals in Ethiopia is very poor. Before drawing such a firm conclusion, large scale studies should be studied both on cereals for human and feeds for animals consumption in different climatic zones under different storage condition. It make sense to study the prevalence of the cancer type caused by aflatoxin in those study areas among the target population.
Monday 5 October 2015 at 10:57 pm
Hello Yemisrach,
Thanks for your email. Sorry for taking so long to respond. I have been very busy with work and personal things.
I appreciate your concern but still think that the high nutrition value of milk is critical for children and adults though there is a risk of aflatoxin. Fortunately,
the kind of aflatoxin in milk is much less toxic than the one in the feed. Even the accepted level of aflatoxin in milk in the USA and EU are significantly different.
I was drinking milk everyday while I was in Addis Ababa so I wouldn’t suggest that you stop giving milk to children or drinking milk.
I would like to mention that It is possible to rectify the problem of aflatoxin in milk, and we are planning on working to solve the problem.
Sincerely,
Dawit
Thursday 22 October 2015 at 3:39 pm
Dear “RESEARCHERS” do you import powder milk????? I missed your intention of publishing such “A NICE FINDING”. Do you really have these data?
1. you conclude that risk mitigation on noug cake…but which oil pressing factory uses noug (niger seed) as a raw material for its edible oil production?
2. How reliable is your method of analysis?
3. How could we say that your work approach is value chain of milk by dealing only with feed and the milk?
4. Did you stop drinking milk at all?
5. What is the metabolic toxicity of aflatoxin M1?
6. You “RESEARCHERS” DON’T you believe your work need to be supported with different investigations?
7. Is it a true work of the 5 RESEARCHERS or is this part of the PhD research work of a lady from…….?
8. Do you (the Ethiopian) fill comfortable with the frustration you created to your citizen?
I hope you will give the necessary explanations for these points. Thank you and long live to my beloved Ethiopia.
Thursday 22 October 2015 at 5:46 pm
I am not againsit the research conducted; however inorder to convince my self and accept the finding the following issues must be fulfiled:
a) does the sample size presented in the research adequate enough to come up to this conclusions? is the sampling process reliable? what was the interval of taking enough samples from your selected places/areaa?
b) are the test methods used on this research, capable of providing valid results? do these test methods validated?
c) are the facilities used for analysis competent enough to ensure valid results? what about the competency of the prsonnel doing the test? the chemicals and equipments used?
d) did you send the same sample to another competent and accridited laboratory? if so what was their findings? …..etc.
All the above issues and other related aspects need to be considered inorder to come up to such highly panicking, and disturbing conclusion.
When i say this I am not against the recommendations, alerts and actions forwarded by researchers and reserach institutions, these are vital to all of us and prevent any threat before it affects the community but we have to be more sure and sure and sure…on those issues raised above.
Thursday 22 October 2015 at 7:45 pm
I am not against the research. However,further responsible research on a broader frame and much more specific data and consultation with the relevant government bodies and other stake holders should have preceded the panic outcome created by improper disclosure that may harm the poor farmer, the rural value chain and the negetive sectoral economic impact that may ensue from this self glorifying paper tiger. It is very important to find the truth both in terms of validating the research data and if any malicious intent is behind this process. I hope concerned authorities pick up on the matter and bring to light the facts in the hope of solving the plight of both producers and consumers and review the economic and social impacts .
Friday 23 October 2015 at 5:13 pm
This study was conducted by experienced scientists using validated diagnostic methodology and sound study design. Please note that the authors do NOT advocate that people in Addis stop drinking milk. More studies are needed to determine the extent of the problem and the effects on human health.
The good news is that the aflatoxin problem can be addressed; if you withdraw contaminated feed, the milk clears in a couple of days. So our focus now should be on reducing the level of aflatoxin contamination in feed – there are different methods to do that and they are routinely used in many countries already.
Tuesday 3 November 2015 at 10:40 pm
Hi Barbara, the point you mentioned is mine too.we have to focus on reducing the feed contamination first.
Friday 23 October 2015 at 5:47 pm
As Barbara said, the study is sound, and we are focusing on mitigating the problem. Other countries including African countries have been addressing these issues for the last few years. So this study is helping us to have a dialogue in Ethiopia how to systematically minimize contamination of milk and may be even other kinds of food that potentially could be affected by the toxins.
Dawit
Wednesday 4 November 2015 at 10:05 am
Dear reserchers,
the publication is already reached the consumers and we can observe that due to the Confusion created by this information so many families stoped feeding milk to their children. according to your replies there is no need to stop drinking milk but how can this Information reach the public?
Thursday 29 October 2015 at 10:32 pm
The researchers may be known, the methodology may be sound and the result may be true. But those renowned scientists do not know how to communicate risks. That is why they dispose the information simply (unless they do have any other hidden mission) and created a panic among the communities. I politely advise those scientists to refer any epidemiology or public health books how to make risk assessment, risk analysis, and above all risk communication not to create another panic.
Monday 2 November 2015 at 1:09 pm
Following great public interest in this research, as shown by the many comments above, the authors of the study have written a follow-up post on the ILRI News blog to add more insights to the topic and address some of the fears raised. You may read the blog post at http://news.ilri.org/2015/10/30/aflatoxin-levels-in-cow-milk-and-feed-in-the-addis-ababa-milk-shed-new-study/
Regards
Tezira Lore
Communication Specialist, ILRI
Sunday 8 November 2015 at 7:51 pm
Dear researchers, can you please tell us,
Should we stop giving milk at all?
Monday 9 November 2015 at 8:36 am
Dear Mahlet,
Please see the researchers’ follow-up blog post which addresses this concern. Here is the link: http://news.ilri.org/2015/10/30/aflatoxin-levels-in-cow-milk-and-feed-in-the-addis-ababa-milk-shed-new-study/
Best regards,
Tezira Lore
Communication Specialist, ILRI
Sunday 8 November 2015 at 10:43 pm
What is USA standard for the aflatoxin ? is it much different than the EU standard?
Monday 9 November 2015 at 8:56 am
The United States FDA limit for aflatoxin M1 in raw milk is 0.5 micrograms per litre. The EU limit is 0.05 micrograms per litre and is, therefore, stricter than the USA limit.
Monday 9 November 2015 at 11:41 am
This manuscript is not convincing at all. The way they write is unprofessional and an unethical. It create panic and worries to milk consumer in general public. I have no doubt that this unfounded result will have huge impact on the live of smallholder dairy farmers in and around Addis Ababa. I don’t agree with the idea that those researchers are experienced scientist. I know all of them in person, that is not the case, all of them rather work hard for their personal reputation and money rather than promoting real science.
Monday 9 November 2015 at 1:30 pm
At individual level,how can an informed individual take it for granted and go on consuming Aflatoxin -contaminated milk while the margin of safety is so narrow? 0.41(the average value released by GOVT) versus 0.5 microgram of M1 per litre of milk. It is rather better to accept the reality and find solution.
Friday 13 November 2015 at 9:59 am
How about the pasteurized milk..like “mama” “shola” etc? are they aflatoxin free?
Friday 13 November 2015 at 10:37 am
This study collected and analysed samples of raw milk (100 milk samples from dairy farmers and ten milk samples from milk traders).
Sunday 15 November 2015 at 7:05 pm
I am not an expert on this but is this study suggesting that people should stop consuming local milks in favor of imported processed milks?
If so, what do we know about the quality of the available alternatives?
Second, because of the dissemination of this study many farmers around Addis are already forced to throw away their milk products because people are no longer buying local milks? Was this study misused or it was a deliberate campaign? I think the authors required to elaborate on the conclusion of this study to avoid these unintended consequences.
Monday 16 November 2015 at 8:06 am
As mentioned in the post, based on the study findings, the authors recommend that (1) further research on aflatoxin risk mitigation should focus on noug cake so as to effectively reduce the risk of aflatoxin contamination in peri-urban and urban dairy value chains in Ethiopia; (2) risk assessment of aflatoxins in noug seed and its by-products in other food chains should also be carried out and (3) awareness should be increased about aflatoxins and the need to support risk mitigation practices along the entire dairy value chain.
Please also refer to this follow up blog post by the study authors: http://news.ilri.org/2015/10/30/aflatoxin-levels-in-cow-milk-and-feed-in-the-addis-ababa-milk-shed-new-study/
Wednesday 18 November 2015 at 12:26 pm
what is the point of research, if it does not have what to do!!!!!.
Tuesday 24 November 2015 at 10:27 pm
keep it up.It is a good outcome to think more on aflatoxine ant its effect on human being.