Absorption, distribution and excretion of aflatoxin-derived ammoniation products in lactating cows

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Peanut meal naturally contaminated with 3.5mg/kg aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was spiked with radiolabelled AFB1 (meal14C-I0) and decontaminated by a smallscale copy of an industrial ammoniation process (meal 14C-I1). During the process 15% of the radioactivity was lost, whereas 90% of the remaining radiolabel could not be extracted from the meal. In the extractable part, AFB1 accounted for 10% of the radiolabel, consistent with a total AFB1 reduction of more than 99%. No degradation products were observed in the extracts. Four lactating cows were fed with a diet containing 15% of either meal 14C-I0 or 14C-I1 for 10 days. On day 9 of this treatment, respectively 23 and 67% of the radiolabel was excreted in the urine and faeces of cows fed meal 14C-I0, as compared with 2 and 101% in the case of cows fed meal 14C-I1. Milk contained respectively 1.35 (meal 14C-I0) and 0.25% (meal 14C-I1) of the radiolabel. Milk samples taken during the equilibrium stage contained respectively 5 and 0.5 ng/ml of AFB1-derived compounds. Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) accounted for 50–80% of these compounds in the case of milk from cows fed 14C-I0, as compared with 6–20% in the case of 14C-I1. AFB1 to AFM1 carry-over rates for 14C-I0 or 14