Mycobiota and aflatoxin B1 in poultry feeds

Vesna Krnjaja,Tanja Petrovic,Violeta Mandic,Zorica Bijelic,Zdenka Skrbic,Slavica Stankovic,Milos Lukic

doi:10.2298/bah1901061k

Abstract

In this study, a total of 30 poultry (chicken and laying hens) feed samples collected from different poultry farms in Serbia in 2016 were tested for fungal and aflatoxin contamination. Using the plate count and standard mycological methods, total fungal counts and potentially toxigenic fungal genera were determined. Natural occurrence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was detected by ELISA (enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay) method. The total fungal count was in the range from 1 x 102 (2 log CFU g-1) to 1.83 x 105 CFU g-1 (5.26 log CFU g-1). The majority of the chicken feeds (78.57%) had the total fungal count in the ranged from 1 x 102 to 4.8 x 104 CFU g-1, whereas in 68.75% of the laying hens feeds it was ranged from 5.3 x 104 to 1.83 x 105 CFU g-1. In 21.43% of the chicken feeds fungal contamination reached the level above the regulation limits. Three potentially toxigenic fungal genera, Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium, have been identified. In the tested poultry feed samples, more samples contaminated with Aspergillus were determined compared to samples contaminated by Fusarium and Penicillium species. The AFB1 was detected in concentrations from 1.34 to 18.29?g kg-1, with an average of 4.47 and 4.56?g kg-1 in the chicken and laying hens feed samples, respectively. In 14.29% of the chicken feeds, the level of AFB1 was above the regulation limits. The obtained results confirmed the importance of continuous mycological and mycotoxicological control of poultry feed, as well as need to improve risk assessments of such contaminants along the food chain.

Highlights

The majority of cereals commonly used as poultry feed may be contaminated with toxigenic fungi, mainly from genera Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium which may produce poisonous secondary metabolites called mycotoxins
In the tested poultry feed samples, more samples contaminated with Aspergillus were determined compared to samples contaminated by Fusarium and Penicillium species
Since mycotoxins are inevitable contaminants of cereals as a main constituent of poultry feeds, the aim of this study was to determine the fungal contamination and aflatoxin presence in the samples of poultry feed collected from different farms in Serbia

Summary

Introduction

The majority of cereals (maize, wheat, barley, ray and oats) commonly used as poultry feed may be contaminated with toxigenic fungi, mainly from genera Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium which may produce poisonous secondary metabolites called mycotoxins. Mycotoxins can enter food chain via meat and meat products produced of animals fed with mycotoxin contaminated feed. Aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxins have been the most common contaminants of poultry feed. Cereal kernels are a very suitable substrate for the development of Aspergillus species (Fareed et al, 2014). Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus are the main producers of aflatoxins. Consumption of poultry feed contaminated with AFs causes aflatoxicosis in animals and a severe economic losses in the poultry production. Aflatoxins have negative impact on important poultry production parameters such as feed intake, feed conversion, weight gain, etc. An immune response in poultry can be reduced, which raises the risk to diseases (Fareed et al, 2014)

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