Evaluation of the Adsorption Efficacy of Bentonite on Aflatoxin M<sub>1</sub> Levels in Contaminated Milk
Gamal M. Hamad,
Hussein S. Abo El-Makarem,
Marwa G. Allam,
Osama S. El Okle,
Marwa I. El-Toukhy,
Taha Mehany,
Yasser El-Halmouch,
Mukhtar M. F. Abushaala,
Mohamed S. Saad,
Sameh A. Korma,
Salam A. Ibrahim,
Elsayed E. Hafez,
Amr Amer,
Eman Ali
Affiliations
Gamal M. Hamad
Department of Food Technology, Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, Alexandria 21934, Egypt
Hussein S. Abo El-Makarem
Department of Food Hygiene and Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria 22758, Egypt
Marwa G. Allam
Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria 21531, Egypt
Osama S. El Okle
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria 22758, Egypt
Marwa I. El-Toukhy
Food Hygiene & Control Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
Taha Mehany
Department of Food Technology, Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, Alexandria 21934, Egypt
Yasser El-Halmouch
Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr Elsheikh 33511, Egypt
Mukhtar M. F. Abushaala
Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Azzaytuna University, Tarhuna 22131, Libya
Mohamed S. Saad
Department of Food Hygiene and Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria 22758, Egypt
Sameh A. Korma
Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
Salam A. Ibrahim
Food Microbiology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Food and Nutritional Sciences Program, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, North Carolina A & T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411-1064, USA
Elsayed E. Hafez
Plant Protection and Biomolecular Diagnosis, Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, Alexandria 21934, Egypt
Amr Amer
Department of Food Hygiene and Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria 22758, Egypt
Eman Ali
Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour 22511, Egypt
The existence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in raw milk results in economic losses and public health risks. This research aims to examine the capability of bentonite to adsorb and/or eliminate AFM1 from various raw milk types. In addition, the effects of numerous bentonites (HAFR 1, 2, 3 and 4) on the nutritional characteristics of the milk were studied. Our findings revealed that goat milk had the highest value of AFM1 (490.30 ng/L) in comparison to other milks. AFM1 adsorption was influenced by applying bentonite (0.5 and 1 g) in a concentration-dependent manner for different time intervals (from 0 to 12 h). The percentage of AFM1 reached the maximum adsorption level after 12 h to 100, 98.5 and 98% for bentonites HAFR 3, 1 and 2, respectively. HAFR 3 (1 g bentonite) presented higher adsorption efficiency than other bentonites used in the phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and milk. Residual levels of AFM1 reached their lowest values of 0 and 1.5 ng/L while using HAFR 3 in PBS and milk, respectively. With regard to the influence of bentonite on the nutritional characteristics of milk, there was an increase in fat, protein and solid non-fat ratio while using HAFR 3 and 4, yet decreased lactose in comparison with the control. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy both identified bentonites as superior AFM1 binders. The results demonstrated that bentonite, particularly HAFR 3, was the most effective adsorbent and could thus be a promising candidate for the decontamination of AFM1 in milk.
