_Applied_  
_sciences_  
_Article_  
**Aflatoxins in Milk and Dairy Products: Occurrence and Exposure Assessment for the Serbian Population**  
**[PERSON] 1,*\({}^{\text{\textregistered}}\),**\({}^{\text{\textregistered}}\),**\({}^{\text{\textregistered}}\)**,** **[PERSON] 2, [PERSON] 2, [PERSON] 2, [PERSON] 2, [PERSON] 3, [PERSON] 4 and [PERSON] 5,*\({}^{\text{\textregistered},\text{\textregistered}}\)**  
there presence is analyzed throughout the chain, from feed (aflatoxin B1, AFB1) to dairy products (aflatoxin M1, AFM1). It is known that climatic conditions (hot and humid environments) are favorable for the growth of _Aspergillus_ species and production of the toxins [3]. The importance of studying this mycotoxin becomes more pronounced bearing in mind that milk and dairy products are consumed extensively worldwide [4]. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified aflat (both AFB1 and AFM1) as carcinogenic substances for humans [5], with carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic effects [6]. Although both mutagenic and carcinogenic potencies of AFM1 are less when compared to AFB1, the carcinogenic damage caused by AFM1 still categorizes it in class 1 of human carcinogenic compounds [7]. Due to its severe impact on human health, no tolerable daily intake is defined [8] and the rule of the thumb is \"that the concentration of such compounds in food should be as low as reasonably achievable\" [9]. In order to combat these hazards, regulators prescribe maximum levels (ML) of these mycotoxins in feed, raw milk and dairy products. When dairy animals are fed with contaminated feed, the AFB1 is partly degraded by the forestomach before reaching the circulatory system but the remaining part is transformed into its derivative forms--mainly AFM1 [8]. Elevated levels of feed contamination are achieved due to bad management practices of feed ingredients in the feed supply chain during harvesting, storing, or processing [10]. Besides inadequate agricultural practices, unfavorable climatic conditions can also trigger the growth of AFB1 [11]. The permissible limits for ML of AFB1 in complete feeding stuffs for dairy animals in the European Union (EU) is set at 5 \(\upmu\)g kg\({}^{-1}\)[12] while in the US it is set at 20 \(\upmu\)g kg\({}^{-1}\)[10]. In parallel, the EU defined ML of AFM1 in milk and dairy products at 0.05 \(\upmu\)g kg\({}^{-1}\) for raw milk, heat-treated milk and milk for the production of milk-based products [13; 14], with the US having a higher value of 0.5 \(\upmu\)g kg\({}^{-1}\)[15]. Serbia as an EU membership candidate committed to harmonize its legislation with the EU _acquis communautaire_[16] and regarding AFM1 tried to follow the EU, setting the value at 0.05 \(\upmu\)g kg\({}^{-1}\) for both raw milk and dairy products. However, due to a higher level of concentration that occurred during 2013, Serbia increased the ML to 0.5 \(\upmu\)g kg\({}^{-1}\) but because of great media attention retrieved the value back to 0.05 \(\upmu\)g kg\({}^{-1}\) in 2014 [17]. Finally, during 2015 this value was set at 0.25 \(\upmu\)g kg\({}^{-1}\)[18] and is still in force nowadays. Regarding AFB1 associated with feedstuffs for dairy animal, the ML value in Serbia is the same as in the EU at 5 \(\upmu\)g kg\({}^{-1}\)[18]. As for final products some countries, like Italy, prescribe provisional limits for mozzarella cheese (0.040 \(\upmu\)g kg\({}^{-1}\)) and hard cheese (0.045 \(\upmu\)g kg\({}^{-1}\)) [19]. The previous aflatoxin crisis in Serbia that was reported during 2013-2014 due to high AFB1 contamination initiated regulatory measures and increased food safety awareness [2; 17]. It is of note that within the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) database, AF contamination of maize was observed 18 times in the period 2012-2015 in several European countries, among which Serbia was mentioned four times [20].