ABSTRACT
In recent years, International Health Officials issued several warnings about the contamination of food with moulds and mycotoxins, as an emerging important health and economic problem. Mycotoxins are naturally occurring secondary metabolites of moulds that may be present in food products. Mycotoxicosis occur more frequently in developing countries, with hot and humid climate, favorable for the growth of moulds. The contamination of human breast milk with mycotoxins has been a matter of considerable concern. However, despite the recognition of the potential risk to humans, there are very few data in the literature regarding prevalence and impact of these toxic substances on infant health. The objective of this study was to identify if serum and breast milk of lactating mothers, are contaminated with mycotoxins [Aflatoxin and Ochratoxin], in Sharkia Governorate, and to study the effect of these toxins on kidney and liver functions of their exclusively breast fed infants. The results shows high total contamination rate of mothers' sera samples [82%], with aflatoxin, ochratoxin, and both, accounting for 10%, 34% and 38%, respectively. Breast milk samples were also highly contaminated [82%] with aflatoxin, ochratoxin, and both, in rates of 10%, 32% and 40%, respectively. Meanwhile, infants' sera accounted for 80% contamination rate with 10%, 32%, and 38%, respectively. Significant positive correlation between mothers' milk aflatoxin and ochratoxin on one side and that in infants' and mothers' sera on the other side was observed. Meanwhile, a significant negative correlation between infants' serum aflatoxin and infants' length/ age was reported. As markers of kidney function in study infants, both urinary microalbumin and beta 2 - microglobulin were significantly higher in infants positive for ochratoxin or ochratoxin and aflatoxin, than in those negative for this mycotoxin. In conclusion, subjects of Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, including the sample population of lactating mothers, are exposed to contamination by mycotoxins; lactating infants of mothers contaminated with mycotoxins, who were exposed to these mycotoxins prenatally, continue to be exposed, postnatally via breast milk. Finally, that mycotoxins may have adverse effects on the growth of infants, with the length/age as the most sensitive anthropometric measurement and that ochratoxin possibly have a nephrotoxic effect, in contaminated lactating infants. A wider scale study that includes different governorates is needed to facilitate the design and plan for a prevention and control program