Review of mycotoxin-detoxifying agents used as feed additives: mode of action, efficacy and feed/food safety

Mycotoxins are small and quite stable molecules which are extremely difficult to remove or eradicate, and which enter the feed chain while keeping their toxic properties. The mycotoxins of major concern as feed contaminants that are potentially removable from feed, are mainly aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, Fusarium toxins (trichothecenes like deoxynivalenol, diacetoxyscirpenol, nivalenol, T2-toxin/HT2-toxin, zearalenone and fumonisins). One of the strategies for reducing the exposure to mycotoxins is to decrease their bioavailability by including various mycotoxin-adsorbing agents in the compound feed, which leads to a reduction of mycotoxin uptake as well as distribution to the blood and target organs. Another strategy is the degradation of mycotoxins into non-toxic metabolites by using biotransforming agents such as bacteria/fungi or enzymes. The specific objectives of the project are to provide a critical and extensive review on mycotoxins detoxifying agents. To this purpose, the consortium performed: The compilation and critical analysis of all published data available in the scientific literature ; The compilation and critical analysis of “grey literature” published worldwide (searches in patents databases) ; The audition of companies involved in the development and manufacture of mycotoxindetoxifying agents, as well as stakeholders of feed manufacturer’s; Comparison, validation and synthesis of the reviewed materials. The report made an inventory of agents which may possibly reduce the impact of mycotoxins in feedstuffs by reviewing the literature and by collecting data from feed manufacturer’s or from information published on the Internet. The present report gives also the mechanism of action of the agents listed, by reviewing in vitro studies and identifies the relevant end-points to be studied when testing the efficacy of mycotoxindetoxifying agents in in vivo trials. Finally this document points out the benefits and risks associated with the potential uses of these agents and gives recommendations for the assessment of such products as feed additives.