Open Chem., 2019; 17: 1140–1145 Research Article Narjis Naz†, Mateen Abbas*, Anam Rubab, Kinza Kanwal Occurrence of Aflatoxin M1 in Milk-based Mithae samples from Pakistan https://doi.org/10.1515/chem-2019-0123 received September 25, 2017; accepted january 31, 2018. 1 Introduction Abstract: Milk products with aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) In Pakistani culture, milk-based mithae (sweets) is a contamination are a lethal dilemma worldwide due to their most popular traditional sweet treat.. It is composed of carcinogenic and mutagenic effects especially in developing various ingredients such as sugar, ghee, flavoring, food countries. This study investigated the occurrence of color, nuts, and especially milk. It is a highly nutritious AFM1 in milk-based mithae samples marketed in Lahore, food containing macro and micro-nutrients essential for Pakistan. Two hundred (n = 200) different types of mithae human health. Mithae has established itself as a symbol samples were analyzed for AFM1 using a HPLC florescence of social event celebrations such as Eid happiness festival, detector. Results showed that AFM1 was present in 76% Noroz, child births, weddings, and winnings etc. and of the analyzed samples, of which more than 80% had also signifies encouragemtn, happiness and prosperity a much higher level of AFM1 than the European Union in Pakistan [1].The strong bond between traditions, permissible level of i.e.0.05 µg/kg in milk products. The customs, festivities and mithae has accelerated mithae’s aflatoxin M1 in all the tested samples was observed in the consumption of high nutritional value, but conversely, range of 0.004 to 1.49 µg/kg. On average, the Gulab Jamun the consumption has a large quantity of aflatoxin M1 and Malai Laddu showed the highest level of aflatoxin M1 [1-2].The most important ingredient, milk, environment, i.e. 1.49 and 1.17 g/kg, respectively. The lowest amount processing and storage conditions have been listed to of aflatoxin M1 was found in Kalakand samples 0.004µg/ have an impact on the development of the aflatoxins in 휇 kg. The conclusion drawn from this data revealed that these food commodities(Mithae) [2]. almost three-fourths of the mithae samples were highly Aflatoxins are the sub group of a large family known contaminated with AFM1 due to their main component, as mycotoxins generally produced by toxigenic strains of milk. The consumption of milk-based mithae is popular Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus. nominus, and Aspergillus. due to health benefits as well as being part of tradition. parasiticus grow on agricultural foodstuffs [3-5]. Instead of being nourishing and beneficial, it is been Aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin B2, aflatoxin G1 and aflatoxin found to be hazardous to human health due to aflatoxin G2 are the major classes of aflatoxins while aflatoxin contamination. Continued monitoring of aflatoxin M1with B1 is the most toxic, teratogenic and mutagenic class of strict rules and regulations is required to prevent aflatoxin aflatoxins. International Agency for Research on Cancer accumulation in this favorite food commodity. documented it as group I human carcinogen [6-8]. Aflatoxin M1 is a hydroxylated metabolite of AFB1 [9], Keywords: Aflatoxin M 1; Mithae; HPLC; contamination; that is excreted in the milk of dairy animals who have Barfi; ICA. ingested contaminated food. The proportion of feed-to- tissue transfer for aflatoxin B1 is the maximum in milk, *Corresponding author: Mateen Abbas, Department of Toxicology, which is bio-transformed to aflatoxin M1 (known as milk Quality Operations Laboratory, University of Veterinary and Animal toxin) by the hepatic microsomal mixed-function oxidase Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan, E-mail: [email protected] Narjis Naz, Anam Rubab, Department of Chemistry, Lahore College system [10-11]. It has been classified as a group 2B toxin for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan and considered a possible hazard to humans [12]. Milk Kinza Kanwal, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, has the confirmed potential for introducing AFM1 into the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan human diet through its pure form and products [13-14]. “Dr. Narjis Naz was a detailed-oriented and innovative thinker † Exposure of living systems to harmful levels of aflatoxin devoted to logic, which served him well in both science and related areas of study. I have found him to be an enthusiastic and creative M1 results in the formation of epoxide, which reacts with person. She was a team player able to glean optimal performance proteins and DNA leading to DNA-adducts, thus causing while consistently producing high quality work in a timely manner“. liver cancer [15-17]. It persists to some degree in food even Open Access. © 2019 Narjis Naz et al., published by De Gruyter. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution alone 4.0 License. Occurrence of Aflatoxin M1 in Milk-based Mithae samples from Pakistan 1141 after food processing methods such as high temperatures samples of each type i.e. Gulab jamun, Rasgulleh, Barfi, have inactivated the fungi, due to their significant Ras Malai, Balushahi, Khoya, Carrot Halwa, Kalakand, chemical stability [5,18]. The presence of AFM1 in milk and Malai laddu, peda. All the samples of Mithae had the milk-based products have been reported from different main ingredient of milk, sugar and ghee. Properly labeled countries as well as Pakistan [6,19-21]. Yet, only one report samples were transported to the laboratory and were exists on the incidence of AFM1 in Barfi from Pakistan. stored at -40C before the analysis of aflatoxin M1. Strict regulatory limits are currently in place in most countries because of high toxicity levels and health concerns. The international regulations for the maximum 2.1.2 Chemicals and Reagents: limit of AFM1 in milk and dairy products range from 0 to 10 µg/kg. In the European Commission (EC) Directive (2006), The standard for aflatoxin M1 in acetonitrile was the maximum AFM1 content in liquid milk and milk-based purchased from Sigma Aldrich (Germany), whereas the products intended for human intake has been set at 0.05 immunoaffinity columns (IAC) Afla M1TM were purchased µg/kg [6,7,22]. The USA has set an upper limit of 0.5 µg/kg, from VICAM (Watertown, MA, USA). All other chemicals which is much higher than that of the EC [23].The Pakistan and reagents were of analytical grade. The experiments Standard and Quality Control Authority has recently set used deionized water after filtering through a 0.45micron the maximum limit for aflatoxin M1 in milk at 10 ppb [24]. filter with a Waters Millipore (Milford, MA, USA) system. No further limits have been set for AFM1 in milk products. Solvents and water were degassed for 30 min using an Several analytical methods exist for the detection ultrasonic bath. The calibration curve for AFM1 was of AFM1 in milk commodities with a comparable basic determined using a series of calibration solutions in protocol of extraction, clean-up, separation, detection acetonitrile with concentrations of 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and quantification. However, at this time, immunoaffinity 5.0, and 10.0 µg/L. The working standard solutions column (IAC) clean-up followed by RP-HPLC with a were prepared according to the Association of Official fluorescence detector has emerged as a promising Analytical Chemists (AOAC) method [26] and stored at technique for the reliable detection and quantification of 200C in amber glass vials until analysis. The response was aflatoxins in diversified foods [21,25]. linear (R2= 0.9988). The present study was intended to assess aflatoxin M1 contamination in various Mithae products collected from different markets of Lahore, Pakistan using a RP-HPLC 2.1.3 Extraction procedure for Aflatoxin M1: fluorescence detector. These findings will be helpful to deliver some suggested references to correlate the contamination Aflatoxin M1 was analyzed in milkbased mithae according level with EU recommended limits, health hazards to the method reported in the literature [27] with little associated with this toxin as well as public awareness for modification. 25 grams of well-homogenized mithae mithae consumers. Moreover, this study intends to alert and samples were added and placed in a conical flask involve legislative authorities to consider stricter regulations containing a mixture of acetonitrile: water (150 mL) and because of public health concerns. then 5 g of sodium chloride. The flasks were covered with aluminum foil and placed in a water bath (WTO/ PAT/E/013) and stirred for 4-5 hours at a temperature of 37˚C and 120 oscillations. The resulting mixture was 2 Experimental filtered by a Whatman filter paper No. 5. A portion of the above filtrate was passed through an immune affinity 2.1 Material and methods column. The column was then washed with water. AFM1 was eluted with methanol into a glass vial. The eluate was 2.1.1 Sampling: then evaporated until dry under N2 blanketing, and the residue was reconstituted in a mobile phase comprising Two hundred samples of different types of freshly prepared of water: acetonitrile (7:3, v/v). Vortex the samples for 15 milk-based mithae were purchased randomly from the minutes, and the 1mL sample was filtered by micron filter local area/markets within Lahore, Pakistan during the paper of 0.25 microns in the small vials and then analyzed. period of March to July 2017. The samples contained 20 1142 Narjis Naz et al. 2.1.4 HPLC conditions: Table 1: %Recovery of Spiked Samples of Milk Based Mithae. A high performance liquid chromatography instrument Sample Type Fortified con- AFM1 recovered Recovery % centration of µg/kg ± SD (Mean ± SD) model Agilent 1100 with C18 (4.6× 250 mm, 5.0 m) AFM1 µg/Kg µg/kg analytical column and fluorescence detection set at FL Ex 휇 365 nm, Em 435 nm was used for to analyze aflatoxin M1.