Determination of Aflatoxin M1 Level in Motal Cheese Produced in Azerbaijan

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to determine the presence and level of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in motal cheese. The research has shown that the mean of AFM1 values of motal cheese is quite low, and the positive sample ratio is similar to the literature. Possible reasons for the low concentration of determined AFM1 include the feeding of the animals in the area, where the samples were collected, the spread of the sheep breeding, the grazing of the animals at the pastures most of the year, and the production of motal cheese especially during the summer when there is a lot of milk. Motal cheese can be evaluated in a group of fatty, soft and/or semi-hard cheeses. It is considered that production and sales centers of the cheese do not have sufficient hygienic and technological capacity and that necessary precautions should be taken in this respect when considering the high numbers of microorganisms.