Aflatoxins in Yogurt and Trials for Their Control by Using Saccromyces cerevisiae

This study investigated the prevalence of Aspergillus species in yogurt samples and their association with aflatoxin contamination. The results revealed that Aspergillus niger was the most frequently detected species, present in 16.7% of samples, followed by A. flavus (13.3%) and A. terreus (11.7%). Aflatoxin M1 was detected above the detectable level in three samples, with concentrations of 0.162 ppb, 0.297 ppb, and 0.513 ppb, while Aflatoxin M2 was found in two samples at levels of 0.134 ppb and 0.228 ppb. The study further evaluated the efficacy of varying concentrations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (1x109, 3x109, and 5x109 cells) in reducing Aflatoxin M1 levels over a nine-day storage period with a dose dependent manner. Results indicated that all treatment groups exhibited significant reductions in Aflatoxin M1 levels compared to control groups, with the highest concentration of S. cerevisiae achieving reductions of up to 72.2% in yogurt sample contain 0.162ppb aflatoxin M1. These findings highlight the potential of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a biological agent for mitigating aflatoxin contamination in yogurt, emphasizing the importance of quality control measures in yogurt production to ensure food safety.