MYCOTOXINS IN FEED: AN OVERVIEW ON BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS AND DECONTAMINATION METHODS

Abstract

Mycotoxins, secondary metabolites, produced by toxigenic fungi genera such as Penicillium, Aspergillus and Fusarium are widely known as one of the main causes for foodborne diseases. Not surprisingly, mycotoxins prevalence is higher with conditions such as climatic changes, lack of control systems and plentiful of suitable substrates, thus causing serious risks for both human and animal health. Since chemical and physical decontamination are not sufficiently effective, biological transformation is considered to be the most promising approach to reduce mycotoxin concentration. To detoxify mycotoxin-contaminated feed, the most frequent method for industrial purposes is the inclusion of sorbent materials that will remove toxins through selective adsorption, during passage through gastrointestinal tract. Another reliable approach is the addition of enzymes or microorganisms capable of detoxifying some mycotoxins. Although the process of identification and characterization of degrading enzymes is time consuming, it is necessary in order to understand the mechanism of degradation. The use of enzymes has some benefits in comparison with the use of microorganisms such as: reproducible performances, no risk of contamination and no safety concerns.