Content of 17β-Estradiol in Raw Milk in Ukraine

Abstract

The main source of estrogen supply of steroid origin in the organism of consumers is milk and dairy products, which consume 60 to 80% of these hormones. Excess estrogen, including 17β-estradiol in the serum, has been linked to female and male genital cancers. The purpose of the search was to determine the amount of 17β-estradiol in milk on various farms in Ukraine and during its processing at the dairy plant. The determination of 17β-estradiol in cow’s milk samples was performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. It was found that the average value of 17β-estradiol content in raw milk obtained during the day on one farm does not depend on the time of milk production. At the same time, the content of 17β-estradiol in whole milk from one herd changes significantly during the year of its receipt. Mixing whole milk from different farms at the processing plant does not lead to a significant difference in 17β-estradiol content compared to milk produced on a particular farm in the region. It was found that whole milk with a higher mass fraction of milk fat contains more 17β-estradiol. Separating milk influences the distribution of 17β-estradiol between cream and skim milk. The amount of 17ß-estradiol in skim milk was almost 5-7 times less than in cream. Therefore, to possibly reduce the daily intake of 17β-estradiol and dairy products during consumption, it is necessary to reduce the mass fraction of fat in them.