“MILK and its by-products are completely safe to consume but the public should follow any instructions given by the Ministries of Health and Agriculture.”
That was the verdict of the President of the Food Scientists and Food Technologists Association of Cyprus, who was commenting on the discovery of aflatoxin M1 in milk at dairy farms last week.
Dr Phrosso Hadjiluca warned that aflatoxins are carcinogens which can accumulate in the body. “However, a person needs to ingest substantial amounts in a short space of time in order to be adversely affected,” she explained.
“They cannot be detected visually and have no taste.”
She also praised the authorities, who she said are doing a good job and taking samples on a daily basis.
In the United States, the acceptable level of total aflatoxin M1 in milk is ten times higher than in the European Union.
“The Americans have their own regulations and just because they have higher limits, it doesn’t mean that we have to,” Hadjiluca explained. “These limits are beneficial to the consumer.”
The Director of the State General Laboratory agreed.
“Based on all the results so far, levels of M1 alfatoxin are well below the accepted levels,” Dr Stella Michaelidou told the Mail yesterday.
“All products tested so far are safe for the consumer and the results are encouraging,” she said.
Speaking about the EU guidelines, Michaelidou added: “The EU has set its levels and the best achievable low level is required in order to safeguard consumers, especially sensitive groups such as children.”
On Monday, the Minister of Health said that preliminary tests on pasteurised milk had shown that aflatoxin levels were within permissible levels.
Michalis Polynikis, who assured consumers the government was doing everything to trace the root of the problem from the animal feed right up to production, said the aflatoxin found so far in the samples taken were within permissible levels.
Polynikis said that from the 54 out of 230 dairy farms that had initially tested positive for aflatoxins “we have seen a gradual reduction and all without exception are now under the permissible limit.”
The infected milk is believed to have been produced after cattle ingested imported animal feed already contaminated with the toxin.
High-level aflatoxin exposure produces an acute necrosis, cirrhosis, and carcinoma of the liver exhibited by haemorrhage, acute liver damage, oedema, alteration in digestion, and absorption and/or metabolism of nutrients.
No animal species is immune to the acute toxic effects of aflatoxins including humans; however, humans have an extraordinarily high tolerance for aflatoxin exposure and rarely succumb to acute aflatoxicosis.
Children, however, are particularly affected by aflatoxin exposure, which can lead to stunted growth and delayed development. Chronic exposure also leads to a high risk of developing liver cancer.
Medical research indicates that a regular diet including vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, celery and parsley, reduces the carcinogenic effects of aflatoxins.
