A new regulation regarding the aflatoxin limit in processed liquid milk

The Consumer Affairs Authority has announced a special regulation, setting a new Aflatoxin level for processed liquid milk available in the local market. This new order, issued under Section 12(2) of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act No. 9 of 2003 (as amended), is set to be officially implemented in the country from January 8, 2027.

According to this new directive, processed liquid milk products must comply with the SLS 1815 standard set by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution, and it is strictly prohibited to release any product exceeding the maximum Aflatoxin limit of 0.5 micrograms per kilogram (0.5 µg/kg or ppb) into the market. Accordingly, producing, manufacturing, importing, packaging, supplying, storing, distributing, transporting, selling, or displaying for sale any liquid milk product exceeding the specified limit is illegal. The Authority emphasizes that these legal provisions apply equally to the entire supply chain, including all manufacturers, importers, packagers, distributors, and traders in the country.

The primary reason for subjecting Aflatoxin levels in processed liquid milk to such strict scrutiny is the toxic chemical Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), which can be present in animal feed given to livestock. When cows consume contaminated feed containing Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), produced by fungi such as Aspergillus, found in corn, peanuts, and cottonseed, their livers convert this toxin into Aflatoxin M1. Subsequently, this toxic chemical is excreted through the cows' milk, and these toxic components remain unchanged even after the milk is collected and processed.

The main challenge faced by consumers is that this toxic chemical is not destroyed by common heat treatment methods such as pasteurization, UHT technology, boiling, or converting milk into powder. In milk powder production, this toxin further concentrates with milk solids, and in cheese making, it can bind with proteins and deposit within the cheese. Aflatoxin M1, classified as a substance potentially causing cancer in humans, is harmful to health even in very small amounts. Infants and young children, who consume more milk relative to their body weight compared to adults, are particularly at high risk, and long-term ingestion of this toxin can lead to serious health problems.

To mitigate these health risks, food safety authorities worldwide have imposed various maximum limits, with the European Union's limit being a very strict 0.05 micrograms per kilogram. The limit set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is 0.5 micrograms per kilogram, making the European Union's regulation ten times stricter than the American limit. Since it is difficult to remove this toxin after milk production, adopting preventive measures such as proper storage of animal feed, preventing fungal growth, regularly inspecting animal feed, and testing milk samples before they reach the consumer is the only and best solution.