THE AGRICULTURE Ministry yesterday destroyed over 100 tonnes of contaminated milk at 53 different dairy farms after finding elevated levels of aflatoxin M1, a known carcinogenic.
Although the contaminated milk did not make its way into the food chain, consumers have already lost faith in local dairy products.
“I don’t know, I’m a bit wary about having milk and yogurt now. You can’t know if it’s safe for consumption,” a 25-year-old woman shopping at a Nicosia supermarket said yesterday.
But Cyprus Milk Industry Organisation Director Andreas Marangos said the whole thing had been blown out of proportion.
“Peoples’ concern is exaggerated. From the 1,200 tonnes of milk produced, around 133 tonnes were found to be contaminated. If the contaminated milk and uncontaminated milk had been mixed then it would have been diluted and there would have been no elevated aflatoxin found,” he said.
Nevertheless once elevated levels of the toxin were detected the milk was stopped from going for processing and therefore consumers had nothing to fear.
Furthermore “all batches of pasteurised milk are inspected by the veterinary services before they are sold and there has been no problem found”.
Marangos said the incident would probably cause problems for the dairy industry as people would think twice about buying milk “when they shouldn’t”.
He also said any producer with contaminated milk in his stocks would be stopped from processing the milk.
“The contaminated milk can be traced back to where it’s gone and the veterinary services have taken immediate measures to block its production until further analysis to ensure it does not contain elevated aflatoxin levels,” he said.
The Cyprus Cattle Farmers’ Organisation said yesterday it suspected the contamination had occurred from maize imported from India which had been used to feed livestock.
Aflatoxin M1 is the hydroxylated metabolite of aflatoxin B1 and may be found in milk or milk products obtained from livestock that have ingested contaminated feed.
Organisation president Savvas Evangelou said the maize had contained legal levels of aflatoxin but that it could have developed and exceeded legal limits as it was known to do.
Like Marangos, Evangelou said none of the contaminated milk had been used for processing by the dairy industry.
“All products on the market and in industry are controlled and clean. At this moment the milk is being destroyed at farms that used the [contaminated] animal feed,” he said.
Evangelou added that the consequences to animal farmers in the destruction of milk were huge and that they were waiting for an Agriculture Ministry decision on who was responsible for animal feed imports in order to seek compensation. The Agriculture Ministry is expected to announce its findings today regarding whether it or the importers were responsible for allowing the animal feed on the market.
The Organisation was working closely with the veterinary services and destroyed all milk suspected of contamination, Evangelou said.
Athos Pittas, of the cheese maker’s association, also assured that samples of dairy products would be tested for elevated aflatoxin M1 levels.
“So far there has been no information that unsuitable batches of products have been located or blocked,” he said.
Pittas said milk used to make cheese was delayed for several days after its production, which allowed for better controls.
“For the time being the situation seems to be under control and the cheese makers are co-operating with the veterinary services fully,” he said.
The contaminated milk was found on Tuesday by the Cyprus Milk Industry Organisation during its quarterly inspection for aflatoxin. Having located the elevated toxin levels, it then tipped off the veterinary services, which blocked producers from using the milk until further tests were carried out. In cases where the milk tested positive for elevated aflatoxin, it was destroyed, Marangos said.
The Agriculture Ministry said yesterday it was taking all necessary steps to ensure there was no danger to public health.
Meanwhile, the Cyprus Association of Imports and Industries of Animal Feeds, Additives and Animal Feed Basic Materials blamed farms for failing properly to store and maintain the animal feed, allowing aflatoxin levels to increase.
The Association said the Agriculture Ministry had inspected all animal feed basic materials in line with regulations and that nothing suspect had been found.
