Objective: The purpose of this work is to develop and validate an appropriate solvent solution and quantitative thin layer chromatography (TLC) method for determining the aflatoxins content of chicken feeds and dietary grains. Materials and Methods: To obtain the optimal mobile phase, samples were extracted with methanol/water (3:1) + 5% sodium chloride and partitioned using several solvent systems using preparative TLC. Camag TLC scanner 3 was used to scan the TLC plates at 366 nm and quantify them using JustTLC software. The method was tested for linearity, specificity, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and robustness in accordance with ICH recommendations, and then utilized to screen 132 Nigerian poultry/food samples for total aflatoxins (TAFs). Results: The best separation of aflatoxins was achieved using acetonitrile and dichloromethane (3:17) mobile phase over an average run time of 45 min, resulting in linear calibration curves (R2 > 0.99) in the concentration range limit of quantitation (LoQ) to 50 ng/spot with a limit of detection of [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2021; 8(4.000): 656-670]

The current study is aimed to investigate the fungal contaminants in fish feed. Isolation of fungi was conducted on modified dichloran 18% glycerol agar (DG18) and potato dextrose agar (PDA). Feed samples were assayed for aflatoxins using HPLC. A total of 43 species belonging to 19 fungal genera recovered from 45 fish feed samples. Aspergillus and Penicillium were the most predominant genera with isolation frequency values indicated the retrieval capability of DG18 over PDA medium. For instance, Aspergillus spp. recorded 60%, 53.3% while Penicillium spp. were 33.3%, 17.8% on DG18 and PDA respectively via direct plating. 41.4% of the tested isolates were mycotoxin producers. Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 were detected by 6 out of 10 screened Aspergillus isolates. Fumitremorgens, Gliotoxin, Ochratoxin A and B, and Zeralenone were also detected. The feed samples of high total count percentages (TC%) of A. flavus recorded the highest incidence of aflatoxins B2, G1 and G2 (2.3, 35.3 and 7.8 ng/g respectively). Meanwhile, the highest B1 concentration (3.7 ng/g) was recorded for the highest TC% interval studied (1:9 cfu/g). Thus, it is important to monitor the fungal load and mycotoxins in fish feed periodically using proper practical approaches.

The current research was designed to examine the protective effect of probiotic-fortified ration against aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) toxicity and its residual level in broilers' edible tissues. Sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD) was used for measuring the toxin. Ninety, one-day-old Cobb chicks were allocated into three equal groups (n=30) with three replicates per group. The first control group (G1) was fed a balanced basal diet only and the second group (G2) received AFB1 (2 mg/kg basal diet), while the third group (G3) received a combination of AFB1 (2 mg/kg basal diet) with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC; 1.5 g/Kg basal diet). Experimental birds were monitored for 6 weeks, their growth performance was then compared. AFB1 residue was assessed in the meat and liver sample. AFB1 resulted in a significant (P<0.05) reduction of growth performance parameters such as body weight and carcass yield in comparison to the control and SC supplemented groups. Moreover, AFB1 residue significantly (P<0.05) diminished in SC fortified group when compared with the AFB1 group. In conclusion, probiotics such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae could be considered as a potential feed additive and a growth promoter. Besides, its role in controlling AFB1 residue in the edible tissues of boiler chicken.

Aflatoxins are one of the most dangerous toxic residues in various foods including poultry. This study was conducted to assess the reducing effect of gamma radiation on the levels of aflatoxin B1 in poultry meat, skin, and liver. To this end, a total of 80 poultry samples including meat, skin, and liver were surveyed for the incidence of aflatoxins, where only positive samples (27 samples of muscle, skin, and liver; 9 samples each) were selected for testing the effect of treatment by gamma radiation. The levels of aflatoxins were estimated in the examined samples using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) whereas positive samples were exposed to 0 kGy, 5 kGy, or 10 kGy, and the differences in aflatoxin contents before and after exposure were calculated. The obtained results clarified that radiation achieved reduction rates in aflatoxin B1 level in muscle samples with a mean value 99.259±0.741, and 100.00±0.00% when treated with 5 kGy and 10 kGy, respectively. Whereas in skin samples, 98.676±1.324 and 100.00±0.00 % when treated 5 kGy and 10 kGy, respectively. While in liver samples, reduction rates accounted for 84.312±7.406 and 88.249±10.882 were obtained when treated with 5 kGy and 10 kGy, respectively. In conclusion, the exposure of poultry meat, skin, and liver to gamma radiation (5kGy or 10 kGy) has a significant reducing effect (p<0.05) in aflatoxins B1. The results were discussed from the hygienic point of view and compared with the national and international standards to assess their reliability for consumption.

Mycotoxins are considered hidden dangers that threaten the poultry industry globally because they suppress the immunity of birds, reduce their production, and increase their chance of being infected with diseases, which exposes the poultry industry to enormous economic losses. Therefore, this investigation aimed to assess the effectiveness of VemoZyme Detox®, a novel enzymatic detoxifier, in mitigating the detrimental consequences of mycotoxin contamination in broiler chickens. The experiment involved 10,000-day-old, Cobb 500 broiler chicks, which were allotted into two groups of 5000 birds each as follows: T1: received a control basal diet; and T2: birds were provided with a basal diet supplemented with VemoZyme Detox®. The birds underwent comprehensive monitoring, including evaluations of growth performance, blood parameters, mycotoxin levels, hepatic histopathological alterations, and litter bacteriological counts. Broilers receiving dietary VemoZyme Detox® exhibited significant improvements in various aspects, including growth performance, reduced mortality rates, and more favorable feed conversion ratios. Moreover, the enzymatic supplement played a protective role in maintaining hepatic and renal health, as evidenced by reductions in blood aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), uric acid, and creatinine. Importantly, although there was no significant difference in mycotoxin levels (zearalenone, fumonisin B1, ochratoxin A, aflatoxin B1) within the feed, VemoZyme Detox® had a significant impact on decreasing mycotoxin levels, particularly those of zearalenone and fumonisin B1. Hepatic histological examinations also revealed healthier conditions in T2, and positive impacts extended to litter samples, as indicated by reduced counts of Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) counts. In conclusion, the use of an enzymatic detoxifier is a promising method for counteracting the negative impacts of mycotoxin contamination in broilers. The results underscore the substantial potential of enzymatic detoxifiers for ensuring the health and productivity of broilers, opening new avenues for safer poultry production.

For poultry farmers and quails producers’, one of the biggest challenges is dealing with natural diet contaminants like mycotoxins. Worldwide, mycotoxins are present in all feed sources, primarily in corn, and they significantly reduce the health, immune function, and performance of birds. For this purpose, the effect of citric acid (CA) supplement on contaminated diet with Aflatoxins (AFL) in the liver biochemical, histological, and ultrastructural studies of male Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix). Influences of experimental diets were assessed in 3 replications of 6 birds each (n = 18 per treatment). Quails two weeks old were assigned into 4 equal groups. The control quails fed only basal diet, AFL group quails were given basal diet contaminated with 2.5 mg AFL/kg diet, citric group quails fed basal diet with 10 g citric acid/Kg, and AFL/citric group quails fed basal diet contaminated with 2.5 mg AFL /Kg and augmented with 10 g/Kg citric acid. After four weeks, feeding AFL to quails induced hepatotoxicity as evidenced by significant decline in body weight, serum albumin and total protein while it significantly increased serum ALT, and AST activities. AFL also induces liver oxidative stress by the elevation of lipid peroxidation and reducing GPx, ADH, SOD and catalase activities. Descriptive hepatic histological and ultrastructural alteration were also noted in the AFL group. Treatment with CA induced an increase in total protein, albumin, SOD, GPx, ADH and significantly decreased ALT and AST activities and MDA level. Moreover, it also improved the histological and ultrastructure alternations induced in the liver of AFL group. It was concluded that supplementation of CA into the AFL polluted diets lessened the adverse influences of AFL on quail’s liver.