Mycotoxins at the Start of the Food Chain in Costa Rica: Analysis of Six Fusarium Toxins and Ochratoxin A between 2013 and 2017 in Animal Feed and Aflatoxin M1 in Dairy Products.

Andrea Molina,Fabio Granados-Chinchilla,Astrid Leiva,Margarita Alfaro-Cascante,Guadalupe Chavarría

doi:10.3390/toxins11060312

Andrea Molina, Fabio Granados-Chinchilla + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins11060312

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Journal: Toxins	Publication Date: May 31, 2019
Citations: 17	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Universidad de Costa Rica

Abstract

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites, produced by fungi of genera Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium (among others), which produce adverse health effects on humans and animals (carcinogenic, teratogenic and immunosuppressive). In addition, mycotoxins negatively affect the productive parameters of livestock (e.g., weight, food consumption, and food conversion). Epidemiological studies are considered necessary to assist stakeholders with the process of decision-making regarding the control of mycotoxins in processing environments. This study addressed the prevalence in feed ingredients and compound feed of eight different types of toxins, including metabolites produced by Fusarium spp. (Deoxynivalenol/3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, T-2/HT-2 toxins, zearalenone and fumonisins) and two additional toxins (i.e., ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxin M1 (AFM1)) from different fungal species, for over a period of five years. On the subject of Fusarium toxins, higher prevalences were observed for fumonisins (n = 80/113, 70.8%) and DON (n = 212/363, 58.4%), whereas, for OTA, a prevalence of 40.56% was found (n = 146/360). In the case of raw material, mycotoxin contamination exceeding recommended values were observed in cornmeal for HT-2 toxin (n = 3/24, 12.5%), T-2 toxin (n = 3/61, 4.9%), and ZEA (n = 2/45, 4.4%). In contrast, many compound feed samples exceeded recommended values; in dairy cattle feed toxins such as DON (n = 5/147, 3.4%), ZEA (n = 6/150, 4.0%), T-2 toxin (n = 10/171, 5.9%), and HT-2 toxin (n = 13/132, 9.8%) were observed in high amounts. OTA was the most common compound accompanying Fusarium toxins (i.e., 16.67% of co-occurrence with ZEA). This study also provided epidemiological data for AFM1 in liquid milk. The outcomes unveiled a high prevalence of contamination (i.e., 29.6–71.1%) and several samples exceeding the regulatory threshold. Statistical analysis exposed no significant climate effect connected to the prevalence of diverse types of mycotoxins.

Highlights

Mycotoxins are toxic fungal metabolites that can be found in feed ingredients and compound feeds [1,2]
Soybean imports have risen to 309,897.97 metric tons per year, even though 83% of the soybean meal used as a feedstuff comes from national production [18]
Despite a relatively high prevalence for mycotoxins, the positive samples possessed comparatively low concentrations (Table 1) based on guidance values for mycotoxins in animal feeds within the European Union [37,38]

Summary

Introduction

Mycotoxins are toxic fungal metabolites that can be found in feed ingredients and compound feeds [1,2] Due to their compositions, they are detrimental to animal and human health [3,4,5,6,7,8]. In Costa Rica, cereal production represents 38% of the agricultural sector imports [16], where its main suppliers are the United States and Brazil with 84% and 15% contribution, respectively [17]. In this regard, corn imports have increased from 738,539.97 to 781,903.54 metric tons from 2015 to 2017 [18]. Soybean imports have risen to 309,897.97 metric tons per year, even though 83% of the soybean meal used as a feedstuff comes from national production [18]

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