Lactating animals excrete aflatoxins into their milk. Fortunately, routine testing at every level prevents this milk from getting to consumers. Government regulations require milk to be free of aflatoxin. This contaminant can be detected at extremely minute levels so there is no risk to the public.
Federal regulations are stringent on milk for obvious reasons.
Wright said this is the first bad year for milk contamination since 1988. Tankers range from 45,000 to 55,000 pound in capacity. Contaminated grains and grain by-products are the most common sources of aflatoxins in Texas. Corn silage may also be a source of aflatoxins, because the ensiling process does not destroy the toxins already present in silage. Feed can be analyzed for aflatoxin and other mycotoxins at the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in College Station or by a commercial laboratory.