Efficacy of Kaolin and Bentonite Clay to Reduce Aflatoxin M1 Content in Contaminated Milk and Effects on Milk Quality

Received: Revised: Accepted: Published online: September 11, 2019 November 09, 2019 November 18, 2019 January 05, 2020 Mycotoxins contamination in milk products represents a major problem for milk industries. Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is very stable and resists any heat treatments as pasteurization and sterilization methods. The aim of this study was to determine the level of aflatoxin M1 in fifty raw milk samples collected from different dairy shops in Kafr El-Sheikh governorate in Egypt. We also evaluated the efficacy of detoxification methods of AFM1 in milk by using natural clay as Kaolin and Cabentonite. The milk survey study revealed that AFM1 was detected in all the examined raw milk samples with mean value of 10.7±0.89 ppb, which exceeded the Egyptian standard and European Union limit in raw milk. Then we artificially contaminated raw milk samples with AFM1 standard and then added three different concentrations of Kaolin and Cabentonite (5gm, 10gm, 20 gm), separately. The obtained results showed a significant reduction and detoxification in AFM1 concentration by Kaolin and Cabentonite treatments comparing with non-treated milk. The percent AFM1 detoxification rate by using kaolin and Cabentonite clay was 86.1 to 93.3% and 93.7 to 97.7%, respectively without any changes in nutritional constituents of milk. Moreover, the Ca-bentonite clay revealed a tendency to the comprehensive removal of AFM1 by increasing the quantity of clay added to the tested milk. These results indicate efficacy and safe usage of kaolin and Ca-bentonite clay to detoxification and reduce the amount of AFM1 in raw milk and consequently; minimize its dangerous effect on the public health. ©2019 PVJ. All rights reserved