Prevalence of mycotoxin residues in soft cheese

Fifteen fresh soft cheese samples (Kareish and Damietta) werecollected from shopkeepers, retail stores and rural markets. Asurvey was conducted to determine the incidence of mycotoxins in soft cheese and the experiments were conducted to determine qualitatively and quantitatively detection of aflatoxinMl,quantitative detection of ochratoxin A and isolation and identification of mould contaminant.Of the 50 fresh soft cheese samples tested 8 (32%) and 12 (48%) were found out to contain aflatoxin M 1 for (Kareish and Damietta) respectively, while through usage of lateral flow test ( strip field test).For further confirmation of results by usage of immunoaffinity columns with flurometric assay revealed presence of aflatoxin Ml in mean concentration of 3.6 ± 0.6 (ppb) for kareish cheese samples and 6.7 ± 1.35 (ppb) for Damietta cheese samples.Out of 12 randomly chosen kareish cheese samples undergonedetection by immunoaffinity columns with flummetric assay forochratoxin A presence revealed mean concentration of 0.63 ± 0.48(ppb) also, 12 randomly chosen Damietta cheese samples revealedmean concentration of2.1 ± 0.35 (ppb).Forty four percent (44%) of kareish cheese tested samples were contaminated with mould the high level of contamination was 1.5 <I 03; the low level was 10 and the mean value was 2.54x 102 ± 6.61 x 10 c f u / gram.