Short communication: Health risk assessment of aflatoxin M1 concentration in raw milk of dairy cows under wet and dry seasons of hot-humid tropical climate zone

This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of AFM1 in Indonesia during dry and wet seasons as well as to compare the results of the maximum level of AFM1 allowed in raw milk by the Indonesian, USA and European Union legislation. A total of 80 milk samples were collected from forty dairy farms. The samplings were conducted at two different seasons, dry (DS; n = 40) and wet (WS; n = 40) seasons. To observe the climate conditions, the temperature and relative humidity were measured. Data revealed that a higher temperature humidity index was pronounced in WS group (P < 0.05). Dairy cows in both seasons experienced mild stress conditions. Data showed that all the milk samples (100 %) in wet and dry seasons were contaminated with AFM1 exceeding the maximum level of European Union, but still at the range of Indonesian and the United States legislations. A trend towards higher AFM1 concentration in the wet season was observed (P = 0.08). This is the first report of the detection and occurrence of AFM1 occurrence in dairy cows during two seasons of tropical climate zone in Indonesia.