Determination of AFM(1) Levels of Mare's Milk and Koumiss Produced in the Highlands of the Kyrgyz Republic

Mare's milk and koumiss are two very important basic foodstuffs in central Asia.This study aimed to research the AFM(1) contamination in mare's milk and koumiss samples collected from local producers in the highlands in Naryn, Issyk-Kul, Bishkek and Talas regions of Kyrgyz Republic. For this purpose, 75 raw mare's milk and 75 koumiss samples collected in May, June and July 2017 were analyzed using the ELISA method. ARM was detected in 13.3% of the 75 raw mare's milk samples with levels ranging between 6.48 and 25.45 ng/L. Approximately 53.3% of the koumiss samples were found to contain AFM(1), with levels ranging between 5.93 and 18.77 ng/L. None of the AFM(1) levels in the tested samples exceeded above the 50 ng/L maximum limit set by the European Union for milk and the 500 ng/kg limit set by Kyrgyz Republic. As the levels of AFM(1) in the raw mare's milk and koumiss were low, it can be said that these products do not pose a serious risk in terms of public health.This study has been an important source for determining AFM(1) levels in mare's milk and koumiss.