DIETARY HYDRATED SODIUM-CALCIUM ALUMINOSILICATE REDUCTION OF AFLATOXIN M(1) RESIDUE IN DAIRY GOAT MILK AND EFFECTS ON MILK-PRODUCTION AND COMPONENTS

Lactating dairy goats were exposed to aflatoxin (100 and 200 ppb) and hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate at 1, 2, and 4% in two separate experiments. Naturally occurring low levels of aflatoxin M(1) (.009 ppb) were found in the milk of the control diet, whereas there were no detectable levels of aflatoxin MI in the milk of diets containing hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate in both experiments. In Exp. 1, no treatment-related differences in clinical behavior or significant difference in the feed intake, milk production, or milk component analyses were observed with 200 ppb of aflatoxin and 4% hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate. However, 4% hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate was responsible for an 86.9% reduction of aflatoxin M(1) residue in the milk of dairy goats. In Exp. 2, the combination of 1% hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate and aflatoxin at 100 ppb resulted in an overall reduction of aflatoxin M(1) residue by 51.9%, which represented a mean change of aflatoxin M(1) from .553 to .266 ppb of aflatoxin M(1) in the milk. The diet that contained 2% hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate and 100 ppb of aflatoxin further reduced aflatoxin residue by a mean change from .553 to .098 of ppb aflatoxin M(1), which represents an 82.2% reduction of aflatoxin M(1) residue in the milk. Analysis of the data by time indicated that there were no statistical differences between days of sampling. Information regarding the ability of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate to prevent or reduce the level of aflatoxin M(1) residues in milk is critically needed. This finding has important implications, because milk is ultimately consumed by humans and animals, and the reduction of aflatoxin contamination in the milk could have an important impact on their health.