March 8, 2013

Milk produced by two Dutch dairy farmers was found to be containing an illegally high concentration of aflatoxin, toxic metabolites which can cause disease to animals and humans.

This is according to the Dutch Dairy Association on Wednesday (Feb 27).

The milk supply of the two dairy farms was immediately blocked and can only be continued if they meet the quality standards again. Both companies have received feed from the same supplier. The cattle on the two dairy companies now get different feed.

"All milk products on the consuming market comply with legal requirements," the Dutch agency said in a statement.

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority has started investigating the source of the new reports of contamination to avoid its further spread.

An official survey into aflatoxin contamination in corn from Serbia and Romania is still pending. The organisation received three reports of corn deliveries with increased aflatoxin content, two from Serbia and one from Romania.

Part of this corn was delivered to Dutch feed companies and was fed to pigs. These supplies have, as far as is known now, no connection with the contaminated milk.