ABSTRACT
In this study, skim milk powder was produced from cow's milk contaminated artificially with aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) at two different levels, 1.5 and 3.5 microg/liter (ppb), and the effects of process stages on the AFM1 contents were investigated. Pasteurization, concentration, and spray drying caused losses of about 16, 40, and 68%, respectively, in AFM1 content of the milk contaminated with 1.5 microg/liter AFM1, and losses of 12, 35, and 59%, respectively, in the milk contaminated with 3.5 microg/liter AFM1. These losses were found to be statisticially significant at the level of P < 0.01. After 3- and 6-month storage periods, AFM1 content of the skim milk powder produced from milk with 1.5 microg/liter AFM1 decreased by 2 and 5%, respectively, whereas these rates were 2 and 4%, respectively, for the skim milk powders made from milk with 3.5 microg/liter AFM1 (after adjustment for sample weight). Changes in AFM1 content of milk powder samples were found statistically insignificant (P > 0.05 and P > 0.01) for 3- and 6-month storage periods.
