New Delhi: High incidence of Aflatoxin M1 has been detected in the milk sold in Tamil Nadu, according to a written reply placed by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Friday.
Responding to a question raised by senior DMK MP, T R Baalu, seeking to know details of toxins in milk sold in the country, Minister Choubey said Aflatoxin M1 toxin had been found in excess of permitted level in many places as seen from testing of 6,432 samples collected across the country.
Of these samples, as many as 338 were found to consist Aflatoxin M1 in excess of permitted levels, the Minister said, adding that it meant 5.7 per cent of the tested samples had the toxin.
He said of the 551 milk samples from Tamil Nadu tested, 88 were found to contain excessive levels of Aflatoxin M1.
Delhi's score was 38 out of 262, Kerala's was 37 out of 187. The presence of Aflatoxin M1 in milk is quite common while the government agencies remain concerned only when the levels cross the prescribed limits endangering human life, he said.
International medical journals have explained Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) as being associated with carcinogenicity, genotoxicity, mutagenicity, and teratogenicity "and as a result, represents a human health problem worldwide".
