Aflatoxin M₁ removal from milk using activated carbon and bentonite combined with lactic acid bacteria cells

This study was planned to explore the AFM(1)-reducing potential of various heat and acid-killed lactic acid bacteria (LAB), activated carbon and bentonite (BENT) in milk contaminated with 0.5 mu g/L AFM(1) and their impact on milk composition. A negligible impact was observed on milk composition with AC while exhibiting a higher AFM(1) removal (78.2%) than bentonite (35.8%). Their combination with LAB cells increased AFM(1) decontamination for most of the treatments, with highest AFM(1) removal (97.6%) exhibited by a treatment involving 0.1% AC and acid-killed cells of L. cremoris. The results of this study indicate that LAB cells associated with the adsorbents tested are highly effective in reducing milk AFM(1 )content.