BACKGROUND: Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is the main monohydroxylated derivative of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) formed in liver and excreted into milk. AFM1  creates  certain hygienic risks for human health. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine AFM1 level in raw milk samples in Yazd province. METHODS: This investigation was a descriptive-cross sectional study. Eighty raw milk samples were collected from four cities (Yazd, Taft, Mehriz and Sadogh) in Yazd province in winter and spring seasons. The concentration of AFM1 was determined by ELISA method. The analysis of the results was performed using ANOVA and Chi-square tests. RESULTS: All samples (100%) were contaminated with AFM1, with the concentrations ranging from 3.18 to 92.24 ng/l with a mean concentration of 22.07 ng/l. AFM1 level in 13.7% of raw milk samples was higher than the maximum tolerance limit of 50 ng/l accepted by the European Union (EU). The contamination level of AFM1 in winter samples (28.21 ng/l) was higher than spring samples (15.92 ng/l). Also, the highest and lowest contamination levels were observed in milk samples collected from Sadogh (mean 42.21 ng/l) and Yazd (12.79 ng/l) cities, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Results demonstrated AFM1 was detected with a mean concentration of 22.07 ng/l in milk samples of Yazd province. Moreover, 13.7% of samples contained AFM1 at hazardous levels for human health.

Multi-class and multi-residue analyses are very complex procedures because of the physico-chemical properties of veterinary drug residues and other contaminants. The purpose of the study was to develop an analytical method for the sensitive determination of 69 analytes in bovine milk by liquid chromatography electrospray ionisation–tandem mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial, anabolic hormone, lactone, β-agonist, mycotoxin and pesticide residues were analysed in 120 raw milk samples from different dairy farms in North Macedonia. Stable isotopically labelled internal standards were used to facilitate effective quantification of the analytes. The linear regression coefficients were higher than 0.99, the limits of detection ranged from 0.0036 to 47.94 μg/L, and the limits of quantification ranged from 0.053 to 59.43 μg/L. The decision limit values ranged from 0.062 to 211.32 μg/L and the detection capability from 0.080 to 233.71 μg/L. Average recoveries of the analytes spiked in raw milk were in the range of 70.83% to 109%, intra-day coefficient of variation (CV) values from 2.41% to 22.29%, and inter-day CV values from 3.48% to 23.91%. The method was successfully applied in the testing of bovine milk samples. In five samples residues were detected. They were sulfadimethoxine (in two samples), enrofloxacin, tetracycline and oxytetracycline and were at concentrations below the EU maximum residue limit. The method is useful for routine testing for this group of chemical hazards in bovine milk.

Q fever in dairy cattle has been investigated in Latvia since 2012. In 2015, 10.7% of farms tested positive for the DNA of C. burnetii, its aetiological agent, in bulk tank milk. The presence of C. burnetii DNA and infectious bacteria in dairy products has been assessed in several countries, and because Latvian milk may contain them, parallel assessment in this country is recommended. Accordingly, the present study tested shop and farm retail dairy products from Latvia and included foreign products for comparison. Investigation was carried out of 187 samples of a diverse range of dairy products from 41 Latvian milk producers. Twenty-six comparable samples pooled from Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain were also included. The all-countries total number of fermented milk products was 160. Special attention was paid to products that could be more attractive to children because of their added chocolate, cacao, berry and fruit content. DNA was extracted and amplification of C. burnetii IS1111 was performed using a commercial PCR kit. Overall positivity was 60.56%. Domestic products were positive more often (60.96%) than foreign ones (57.69%). Only 26.67% of unpasteurised Latvian cow’s milk samples were positive whereas 76.47% of pasteurised equivalents and 63.13% of fermented milk products were. Sweetened and fruit-containing samples were 71.43% positive. The shedding of C. burnetii via milk should be monitored and only milk from healthy animals allowed for sale for direct human consumption without pasteurisation. Raw milk quality and the effectiveness of industrial heat treatment and pasteurisation methods in Latvia and other countries should be carefully assessed to ensure adequate consumer health protection.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of noncoding small RNAs, have been recognised as potential biomarkers of mammary gland conditions, including bovine mastitis diagnosis. The aim of this study was to quantify selected miRNAs in the milk of mastitic cows.

Milk has been suggested to be a possible source of oestrogenically active compounds. In order to assess the health risk for milk consumers and ensure the safety of this staple part of the human diet, it is important to study the effect of xenooestrogen mixtures present in milk. This investigation used the available in vivo model to learn to what extent such compounds may be endocrine disruptors. The recommended immature golden hamster uterotrophic bioassay was chosen. A total of 132 animals were divided into nine groups of experimental animals and positive and negative control groups, each of 12 animals. The experimental females received ad libitum either one of five samples of raw cow’s milk from individual animals or one of four samples of pasteurised or ultra-high temperature treated cow’s milk as retail products. After 7 days, the animals were sacrificed and necropsied. Uterine weight increases were measured as the endpoint of oestrogenic activity in milk. The milk samples from individual cows and the retail milk samples did not show oestrogenic activity. However, in three groups, decreased uterine weights were observed. Considering that milk supplies are beneficial to health, contamination in this food should be avoided. There is a need for further animal experiments and epidemiological studies are warranted to evaluate any causative role of milk in human endocrinological disorders.

Milk has been suggested to be a possible source of oestrogenically active compounds. In order to assess the health risk for milk consumers and ensure the safety of this staple part of the human diet, it is important to study the effect of xenooestrogen mixtures present in milk. This investigation used the available in vivo model to learn to what extent such compounds may be endocrine disruptors.

A mini-study of 20 raw milk samples was conducted to examine the spectrum of fungal metabolites in sheep milk from the first spring milking. Samples were collected from randomly selected ewes in two animal flocks from the Bieszczady Mountains and analysed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Out of ~700 bacterial, fungal, and plant metabolites tested for, only one mycotoxin – Enniatin B – was detected in sheep milk samples (18/20; 0.0055–0.0121 μg/kg; 0.0078 μg/kg average). The results indicated that there was no high-level exposure to fungal metabolites via consumption of raw sheep milk during the sample collection period.

A classification of raw bovine’s milk samples according to theirgeographical origin in Peninsular Malaysia by Makmal Kesihatan Awam Veterinar, Department of Veterinary Services Malaysia (DVS). Six hundred bovine milk samples were collected from Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor states by 26 milkcollecting centres under DVS. This study was carried out directly using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared(ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy method coupled with a multivariate principal component analysis (PCA). The spectra generated by ATR-FTIR were analysed and regions of interest were found in between 3851.651cm-1 until 2700.819 cm-1 and 2419.173 cm-1 until 977.368 cm-1. The absorbance and wavenumber data of the regions were then analysed using PCA and the results show presence of clustering towards theirgeographical origin. ATR-FTIR coupled with multivariate PCA has potential for classifying the geographical origin of raw milk produced within Peninsular Malaysia. This method provides a rapid and nondestructive secondary methodology in milk classification without further sample preparation.

Forty-nine fresh goat’s milk samples produced by local farmers and sold in market for public consumption as well as raw goat milk in Johor, Malaysia were analysed for total plate count(TPC) , E. coli, Coliform, Brucella melitensis, Brucella abortus,Coxiella burnetii as well as aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) content, as measures for food safety. The mean counts per ml for TPC were 4.90 x 105, 6.50 x 105, 1.60 x 105 and 1.48 x 106 for pasteurised, unpasteurised and unknown (status of pasteurisation) milk sold in the market as well as the raw milk from milkcollection center (MCC), respectively. Among pasteurised samples, only one had TPC count higher than the permitted level whereas the rest were all within the permitted level. The mean counts per ml for E. coli were <1.00 x 102 for pasteurised and unknown milkwhereas 1.67 x 101 for unpasteurised and 1.18 x 102 for raw milk. The mean counts per ml for coliform were 9.53 x 103, 9.76 x103, 1.20 x 102 and 1.16 x 104 for pasteurised, unpasteurised, unknown milk and raw milk, respectively. Overall, no significantdifferences on the bacterial counts in both pasteurised and unpasteurised milk. All milk samples were negative of B. melitensis and B. abortus, but one unknown sample fromthe market and two raw samples from MCC were positive of C. burnetii through the ELISA test. The unknown sample from the market showed the presence of C. burnetii when further analysed microscopically. Meanwhile, no sample exceeded the permitted level of AFM1 in milk.

This study was conductedon raw cow’s milk collected in seven statesof Malaysia to investigate the compositionof minerals and trace elements in the milk.Raw cow’s milk samples were collectedfrom Kedah, Perak, Johor, Melaka,Pahang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilanfrom January to November 2015. ICPMStechnique combined with microwavedigestion were applied to determine theconcentration of five major minerals (Na,Mg, K, Ca and P) and eleven trace elements(Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Sr, Mo,Baand Pb) in the milk samples. The resultof analysis showed relatively constantcomposition of minerals and trace elementsin the samples but some variations wereobserved in certain states. Application ofprincipal component analysis (PCA) in thecomposition data showed different clusterexists between the states of Selangor andNegeri Sembilan as well as Kedah andNegeri Sembilan. There is no significantdifference observed in the compositionsof minerals and trace elements betweenother states. The compositions of mineralsand trace elements in raw cow’s milk inMalaysia are comparable with reports fromother research. Further studies can be doneto investigate the source of nutrient, foodor environmental condition that producedthe amounts of minerals and trace elementsin the milk.