Concerns regarding food safety and ‘One Health’ are increasing globally. Aflatoxin M₁ (AFM₁), a human carcinogenic toxin, is excreted by lactating animals in their milk after consumption of feed contaminated with aflatoxin B₁. The present cross-sectional study aimed to determine the occurrence of AFM₁ in cattle and buffalo milk produced in rural and peri-urban areas under different agro-climatic conditions of Chhattisgarh, India, and assesses human health risks. Analyses of 545 milk samples by validated high-performance liquid chromatography revealed high level of AFM₁ contamination in 224 (41.1%) samples with mean concentration of 0.137 ± 0.029 μg/L. Statistically significant differences (p< 0.05) were observed in the levels and frequency of AFM₁ occurrence among different agro-climatic zones. AFM₁ was more frequently detected in milk samples from Northern hills (64%) followed by Bastar plateau (40.7%) and Chhattisgarh plain (27.3%), with mean concentration levels of 0.396 ± 0.099 μg/L, 0.081 ± 0.025 μg/L and 0.013 ± 0.002 μg/L, respectively. Species wise no significant difference was observed in the detection frequency and concentration of AFM₁ in milk from cattle and buffalo. AFM₁ contamination above maximum permissible limits established by European commission and Food Safety and Standard Authority of India was detected in 21.3% and 4.4% of samples, respectively. The estimated daily intakes for AFM₁ were found to be higher than tolerable daily intakes for both adults and children, especially of Northern hills implying a potentially high risk to consumer’s health. This study provides valuable information on the contamination status of milk in one of the fastest developing state of India. It also highlights the importance and need for continuous farmers’ awareness on good animal husbandry practices, routine surveillance of mycotoxins in animal feeds and food commodities to safeguard human health.

全球对食品安全和“同一个健康”的担忧正在增加。黄曲霉毒素 M ₁ (AFM ₁ ) 是一种人类致癌毒素，哺乳期动物在食用被黄曲霉毒素 B ₁污染的饲料后会从其乳汁中排出。本横断面研究旨在确定在印度恰蒂斯加尔邦的不同农业气候条件下农村和城郊地区生产的牛和水牛奶中 AFM ₁的发生情况，并评估人类健康风险。通过经验证的高效液相色谱法对 545 个牛奶样品的分析显示，224 个 (41.1%) 样品中的 AFM ₁污染水平较高，平均浓度为 0.137 ± 0.029 μg/L。统计显着差异 ( p< 0.05)在不同农业气候带中 AFM ₁发生的水平和频率中观察到。AFM ₁在来自北部丘陵 (64%) 的牛奶样品中更频繁地检测到，其次是巴斯塔高原 (40.7%) 和恰蒂斯加尔平原 (27.3%)，平均浓度水平为 0.396 ± 0.099 μg/L、0.081 ± 0.025 μg/L和 0.013 ± 0.002 μg/L，分别。在牛和水牛的牛奶中 AFM ₁的检测频率和浓度在物种方面没有观察到显着差异。分别在 21.3% 和 4.4% 的样品中检测到AFM ₁污染高于欧盟委员会和印度食品安全与标准局制定的最大允许限值。AFM ₁的估计每日摄入量被发现高于成人和儿童的每日可耐受摄入量，尤其是北部山区，这意味着对消费者的健康存在潜在的高风险。这项研究提供了有关印度发展最快的邦之一的牛奶污染状况的宝贵信息。它还强调了农民持续了解良好畜牧业规范、动物饲料和食品中真菌毒素的常规监测以保护人类健康的重要性和必要性。