Association between aflatoxin M-1 exposure through breast milk and growth impairment in infants from Northern Tanzania

作者：Magoha H; Kimanya M; De Meulenaer B; Roberfroid D; Lachat C; Kosteren P^*

来源：World Mycotoxin Journal, 2014, 7(3): 277-284.

DOI：10.3920/WMJ2014.1705

• aflatoxin
• exclusive breastfeeding
• exposure assessment
• mothers

Infants breastfeeding from mothers consuming aflatoxin contaminated foods may be exposed to aflatoxin M-1 (AFM(1)), a metabolite of aflatoxin B-1. This study estimated the association between AFM(1) exposure levels and growth indicators, for infants under six months of age in the Rombo district in Northern Tanzania. A total of 143 infants and their mothers were involved. Breast-milk samples, infants' anthropometric data and 24 h dietary recall for mothers were taken at the 1st, 3rd and 5th months of children age. AFM(1) contaminations in the samples were determined using HPLC. Aflatoxin M-1 exposure by an infant was estimated by multiplying contamination in the breast milk consumed by him/her with the breast milk intake recorded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for infants of his/her age divided by the infant's body weight. All the breast-milk samples were contaminated by AFM(1) at levels ranging from 0.01 to 0.55 ng/ml. Above 90% of samples exceeded the EU limit of 0.025 ng/ml for infants' foods while over 76% exceeded the EU limit of 0.05 ng/ml for dairy milk and milk products. Only 1% of the samples exceeded the limit of 0.5 ng/ml set for dairy milk in the United States and several countries in Asia. AFM(1) Exposures ranged from 1.13-66.79 ng/kg body weight per day. A small but significant (P<0.05) inverse association was observed between AFM(1) exposure levels and weight for age Z-score or height for age Z-score. Appropriate strategies should be applied to minimise aflatoxin B-1 exposure in lactating mothers in order to protect infants from AFM(1) exposure.

• 出版日期2014