LAUSR

The objective of this study was to investigate the occurrence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in Chinese liquid milk products. A total of 190 liquid milk samples, including 168 ultra-high temperature treated (UHT) milk samples and 22 pasteurized milk (PM) samples were collected in August 2019. A screening assay with the Charm Rapid Test Kit and a confirmation method with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used for AFM1 analysis. Nine (4.74%) samples were screened positive, of which 5 (2.11%) samples were confirmed with concentration levels of 0.022-0.049μg/kg. The AFM1 levels confirmed were all below the maximum residue levels (MRLs) set by China, the European Union (EU), the United States of America (USA), and the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). The detection rate of AFM1 in domestic milk samples was 3.39%, while no AFM1 was detected in samples of imported milk. The prevalence of AFM1 detected in three groups were: Group I (2.70%, the major brands of China ), Group II (4.55%, the local city domestic brands) and Group III (0, the imported brands into China). The detection rate of AFM1 in PM samples (9.09%) was significantly higher than UHT samples (1.19%) ( P < 0.05). Although the residue level of AFM1 in none of the samples exceeded the MRLs, the higher detection rate in local Chinese brands, especially in PM samples, deserves the attention of the Chinese government and consumers.