The overall picture for cow's milk produced in Cyprus is reassuring, according to a new five-year study that analysed 1,197 samples collected across the country. Only two samples exceeded the European Union limit for aflatoxin M1, a toxin monitored because of its potential health risks.
However, the research also found that children have the highest estimated exposure to the substance because they consume more milk relative to their body weight than adults. Researchers stress that the findings do not warrant changes to current dietary recommendations, but underline the importance of minimising aflatoxin contamination at the animal feed stage.
First comprehensive study in Cyprus
The study, titled The Occurrence of Aflatoxin M1 in Cypriot Cow's Milk in Relation to Season and Year of Production: A Five-Year Survey, was conducted by Artemis P. Louppis, Michalis S. Constantinou and Michael G. Kontominas, in collaboration with the Food Chemistry Laboratory of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Ioannina.
Published last month in the scientific journal Foods, the research analysed 1,197 raw cow's milk samples collected across Cyprus between 2021 and 2025.
The study represents the first systematic assessment of aflatoxin M1 in cow's milk produced in the Republic of Cyprus.
What is aflatoxin M1?
Aflatoxin M1 does not originate in milk itself. Its presence is linked to aflatoxin B1, a toxin that can develop in animal feed.
Aflatoxins are produced by certain fungi that can grow on cereals and animal feed. Factors including temperature, humidity and storage conditions can affect their development.
When dairy cattle consume feed contaminated with aflatoxin B1, part of the substance is metabolised and converted into aflatoxin M1, which can subsequently pass into milk.
Because aflatoxin M1 is considered both genotoxic and carcinogenic, strict limits have been established. The maximum permitted level in milk within the European Union is 50 ng/kg.
As a result, monitoring focuses not only on milk itself but also on controls throughout the production chain.
Only two samples exceeded EU limits
The study examined milk samples collected from dairy farms in the districts of Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos between January 2021 and December 2025 as part of routine monitoring programmes.
Of the 1,197 samples analysed:
- 633 samples (52.9%) contained aflatoxin M1 levels below the detection limit.
- 284 samples (23.7%) contained traces that were too low to be quantified accurately.
- 278 samples (23.2%) recorded measurable concentrations between 10 and 50 ng/kg.
- Only two samples exceeded the EU limit of 50 ng/kg.
Speaking to Politis, food chemist Dr Artemis Louppis, one of the study's authors, said the findings were encouraging.
"The results of the study are overall encouraging for consumers."
He noted that while approximately one-quarter of samples contained measurable concentrations of aflatoxin M1, almost all were significantly below the maximum permitted level.
"This finding shows that the presence of aflatoxin M1 can occur occasionally, as it is linked to feed contamination by aflatoxin B1. However, the overall picture of Cypriot raw cow's milk production is consistent with a good level of compliance with European food safety standards."
According to Louppis, Cyprus also recorded a very low proportion of non-compliant samples compared with findings reported in international scientific literature.
Why children stand out
Beyond compliance with legal limits, researchers also examined the exposure of the Cypriot population to aflatoxin M1 through milk consumption.
The study found that children recorded the highest estimated exposure.
This is primarily because children consume greater quantities of milk relative to their body weight than adults, resulting in a higher estimated intake per kilogram of body weight.
Researchers used the Margin of Exposure (MoE), a metric commonly applied in assessments of exposure to genotoxic and carcinogenic substances.
A higher MoE indicates a greater distance from levels associated with harmful effects and is generally considered less concerning from a public health perspective.
The study calculated:
- 15,385 for men
- 12,903 for women
- 6,557 for children
The result does not mean children should reduce or stop drinking milk.
"There is no need to change dietary recommendations regarding milk consumption," Louppis said.
However, the findings identify children as the population group requiring the closest attention in future monitoring programmes.
"The risk assessment we conducted showed that children are the group with the highest exposure, mainly because they consume larger quantities of milk relative to their body weight."
The focus is on animal feed
Researchers said the solution lies not in changing consumer habits but in preventing aflatoxin contamination before it reaches milk production.
"Prevention at the animal feed level is the most effective measure for reducing exposure among all consumers, particularly children," Louppis said.
The study also identified seasonal differences.
The highest average aflatoxin M1 concentration was recorded during winter, at 7.34 ng/kg, compared with:
- 6.86 ng/kg in spring
- 6.43 ng/kg in summer
- 5.36 ng/kg in autumn
Researchers said seasonal variations may be linked to differences in feeding practices and climatic conditions affecting fungal growth in feed.
However, the study did not collect feed samples or data on storage conditions, temperature or humidity at farms. Consequently, these factors are considered possible explanations rather than proven causes.
The study also observed variations between different years, reinforcing the need for continuous monitoring rather than relying on assessments from a single period.
Future research
Louppis said the findings do not justify concern among consumers but highlight the value of ongoing surveillance to maintain high food safety standards.
He recommended monitoring throughout the entire production chain, from animal feed to finished milk products, to ensure any changes are detected early.
The research focused solely on raw cow's milk and therefore does not reflect consumers' total exposure to aflatoxin M1 from all dairy products.
"Future studies would be useful if they expanded to other dairy products, such as cheese and yoghurt, in order to provide a more complete picture of overall exposure of Cypriot consumers to aflatoxin M1."
