Abstract
Total fungal count, the presence of potentially toxigenic fungi and natural occurrence of ochratoxin A (OTA) were studied in 30 poultry feed samples (14 samples of feed for chickens and 16 samples of feed for laying hens), which were collected from different farms in Serbia at the beginning of year 2014. The total number of fungi was determined by the method of dilution and OTA was detected using the imunoadsorption enzymatic assay (ELISA). In most of the samples of chickens feed (50%) the total number of fungi was 1 - 3 x 102 CFU g-1, and in feed for laying hens the highest number of samples (37.50%) had the total fungal count from 1.4 to 4.8 x 104 CFU g -1. The species of genera Aspergillus and Penicillium were identified as producers of OTA in 21.43% and 42.86% of chickens feed samples and in 68.75% and 25% of samples of feed for laying hens. The presence of OTA was detected in 100% of samples of feed for chickens and laying hens, with average concentrations of 34.40 ?g kg-1 (feed for chickens) and 43.89 ?g kg-1 (feed for laying hens). The total fungal count and content of OTA were not above the maximum allowed quantities, even though the presence of Aspergillus and Penicillium species was found in a large number of samples (up to 68.75%). These results indicate that the tested samples of poultry feed were mycologically and mycotoxicologically correct.
Highlights
The fungi are ubiquitous and produce mycotoxins that can occur in all agricultural products in appropriate conditions in the field and in storage
By analyzing of investigated it was established that the number of fungi ranged from 0 to 14 x 104 colony-forming units (CFU) g-1
According to the Regulation on quality of animal feed (Službeni glasnik Republike Srbije, 2010), mixtures and forage raw materials do not correspond to the hygienic quality if they contain more than 200,000 spores in 1 g of mixture for older animals or 50,000 spores in feed for young animals
Summary
The fungi are ubiquitous and produce mycotoxins that can occur in all agricultural products in appropriate conditions in the field and in storage. Poultry feed is frequently contaminated with mycotoxins. Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin, a secondary metabolite produced by the fungi Aspergillus and Penicillium species. OTA is the second most important mycotoxin in terms of economic losses and is considered the most toxic mycotoxin for birds (Indresh and Umakanth, 2013). Ochratoxin often causes lower performances in poultry production, and the level of losses depends on the dose and duration of feeding poultry with contaminated food. Food contaminated with OTA results in lower egg production, reduced performance and body weight, as well as reduced feed conversion ratio in poultry (Hassan et al, 2012)
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