On September 21 of this year, Macedonia imported over 20 tons of permanent milk from the Republic of Serbia, with a validity period of February 3, 2024, and it was put on the market even though aflatoxin M1 was detected in the milk above the maximum allowed level, accused Cvetan Tripunovski. from VMRO-DPMNE.

He claims on his Facebook page in a video statement that milk is harmful to drink and can cause poisoning and other health complications for citizens.

"Nikolce Babovski is a total failure for AHV. Instead of full control of food imports, AHV under the leadership of Babovski knowingly puts into use products with carcinogenic substances. Aflatoxins found in milk are known in the world as the most important mycotoxins in food and animal feed due to their hepatotoxicity and carcinogenicity. We ask, who and why did he allow the milk in which amflatoxin M1 was detected from Serbia to be put into use in the Republic of Macedonia. In what quantity of the imported milk ended up on the shelves and has AHV acted on the findings of the testing?, says Trupunovski.

In addition, Tripunovski says, we have also received information that a level of aflatoxin M1 was detected in raw milk in one of the largest dairies in Macedonia, which exceeds the maximum levels allowed according to the Rulebook on General Requirements for Food Safety.

"AHV and Babovski should answer what has been done with such milk and whether it has already ended up on the Macedonian table as raw milk or is it processed into cheese, which is a recognizable brand of this dairy in the Republic of Macedonia? We appeal to the citizens to exercise maximum caution." Food with carcinogenic substances that are harmful to people's health is released from AHV knowingly or unknowingly," adds Tripunovski.

The Food and Veterinary Agency says that Cvetan Tripunovski is unfoundedly spreading panic and misleading the citizens with the latest published news that more than 20 tons of permanent milk originating from neighboring Serbia have been placed on the shelves in stores, where the presence of aflatoxin M1 has been detected in the laboratory. the maximum allowed concentrations.

On their official page, the AHV appeals to the citizens to be calm.

"Carcinogenic" milk with aflatoxin originating from Serbia, as Tripunovski claims, is not on the shelves in the markets. Today, with the consent of the exporter, from the border, it is returned to the Republic of Serbia according to legally defined procedures. So that there are no future speculations and delusions of the public, that citizens in the country are drinking unsafe milk with aflatoxin, we responsibly claim that in order to prevent the risk to public health, due to the determined increased presence of aflatoxin M1, the Decision on safety measures during the import of milk, milk products and food for animal nutrition from December 1 last year, which was adopted by the Food and Veterinary Agency. With it, mandatory laboratory testing for the presence of aflatoxin M1 is performed on every shipment of milk and milk products that is imported into the country and originates from the Republic of Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to AHV.

According to the AHV, samples are taken at the border crossings.

"Therefore, today's claim that unsafe milk originating from neighboring Serbia ended up on store shelves is nebulous. Tripunovski's "news" about aflatoxin in raw milk originating from one of the larger dairies is several months old, although he tried to manipulate it today. This milk, in agreement with the operator, was harmlessly destroyed in April of this year and was not put into circulation," added the AHV.