Characterization of the physicochemical procedure of aflatoxin M1 elimination from Ringer’s solution as a model system and raw milk using beta-cyclodextrin polymer

• Beta-cyclodextrin polymer effectively eliminates aflatoxin M 1 from aqueous media. • Aflatoxin M 1 elimination from Ringer’s solution measured 71.9 %. • Over 58 % of aflatoxin M 1 was eliminated from raw milk. • The elimination combines surface AFM 1 monolayer and inclusion complex formation. Mycotoxins, toxic fungal metabolites, are prevalent in a wide range of foods. Among them, aflatoxins, particularly aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ), are the most widespread and toxic. AFB 1 is metabolized in lactating animals to aflatoxin M 1 (AFM 1 ), subsequently being excreted in milk. This work studies the mechanism of the physicochemical procedure of AFM 1 elimination from Ringer’s solution, as a model system, and raw milk using insoluble beta-cyclodextrin polymer (BCP). AFM 1 concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). As found, the elimination process was primarily influenced by mixing time, centrifugation speed, and BCP amount added to Ringer’s solution spiked with AFM 1 . Under optimal conditions (mixing at 1000 rpm for 40 min, centrifugation at 1020 g for 15 min, 6 % (w/v) BCP, and an initial AFM 1 concentration of 0.5 ng/ml), the maximum measure of AFM 1 elimination was 71.9 %, while the elimination process itself can be described better by Freundlich sorption isotherm, indicating a combined adsorption mechanism, i.e. the formation of host-guest inclusion complexes between AFM 1 and BCP, as well as monolayer sorption of AFM 1 on BCP surface. In raw milk, the measure of AFM 1 elimination was lower (58 %) due to the presence of other compounds able to compete for adsorption sites on the BCP surface and inside. Importantly, milk’s nutritional components were not significantly altered by the procedure. Based on these results, the procedure exhibits potential for practical application in milk decontamination technology, which will contribute to the development of food safety technologies in dairy production.