INTRODUCTION Aflatoxins and other mycotoxin are activators of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), are a structurally diverse group of fungal secondary metabolites and a toxigenically and chemically heterogeneous assemblage. They are ubiquitous contaminants in a broad range of agricultural commodities and feed (Table 1) and can contaminate the food supply at any time during production, processing, transport or storage (Bräse et al., 2009). Currently, far more than 400 mycotoxins...
Chris Parks (Cargill) talked about symptoms and subclinical issues regarding mycotoxin effects on swine health, during this Swine It interview with host Laura Greiner....
Don Giesting (Cargill) shared his insights on the different effects of several mycotoxins like DON, Zearalenone, Aflatoxin, Fumonisin and Fusarium, during this Swine It interview with host Laura Greiner....
Wheat farmers in the country have had a very good harvest, and the government is expecting slightly over 1.2 million bags from across the country.
State Department for Crop Development Principal Secretary (PS) Kello Harsama said that they have set the buying price for wheat so that one bag of grade-one wheat will go for Sh5,200 and one bag of grade-two wheat will go for Sh5,100.
Speaking on Tuesday during the media launch of the African Conference on Agricultural Technologies...
Recent cases requiring the Government Chemist’s help have ranged from genetically modified rice from China to pesticides and mycotoxins in different foods, according to a referee analyst.
Paul Hancock told attendees at the Government Chemist Conference that a variety of technically complex cases are being received with the workload returning to normal after a decline during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Government Chemist resolves scientific disputes in the food and feed...
INTRODUCTION The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated that 25% of global food crops are contaminated with mycotoxins 1 . Recently, the prevalence of the mycotoxins detected in food and feed crops was reported to be up to 60–80%2 . Aflatoxins are the major ones among all mycotoxins and produced by Aspergillus spp. upon and after infection of crops. They are genotoxic and carcinogenic to animals and humans 3–6 . From the different...
Introduction Buffaloes are known to be more efficient in utilizing fiber component of coarse feed than cattle and they thrive well on crop residues, cropping native varieties, and agri-by products (Punia and Singh, 2001). Mycotoxin contaminations are serious issues in farming and animal husbandry. So far, various mycotoxins have been identified and over 25% of the world annual grain production is contaminated with mycotoxin (Smith et al., 2016). The optimum temperature for...
Introduction Aflatoxins are toxic, secondary metabolites synthesized by some fungi species in the genus Aspergillus, mainly those belonging to the species A. flavus, A. nomius, and A. parasiticus (Ismaiel et al., 2020). Aflatoxins are considered the most important mycotoxins, given their carcinogenic and hepatotoxic effects on animals and humans (Bhat et al., 2010). Among several types of aflatoxins, the most frequent ones found as natural contaminants of foodstuffs are aflatoxins...
1. Introduction Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by specific fungi that are natural contaminants of foods [1]. At appropriate ambient temperature and humidity conditions, mycotoxins can be found at any stage of the production chain. However, the fungi presence does not imply mycotoxin formation [2]. Upon ingestion by ruminants, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is partially destroyed in the rumen, whereas the absorbed AFB1 rapidly undergoes metabolic processes in the liver...
Aflatoxins are fungal metabolites—mainly produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus living in soil—that contaminate crops throughout growth, harvest, storage, transportation, and processing. Aflatoxin B1 is not only the most potent natural carcinogen known, but also the most commonly produced toxic strain. As of 2010, roughly 5 billion people worldwide were estimated to be exposed to high levels of aflatoxins. High consumption levels can result in aflatoxicosis,...
INTRODUCTION Aflatoxins (AFs) in food and feed are recognized as a public health problem of considerable importance. Williams et al. (2004) estimated that 4.5 billion of the world’s population is exposed to AFs. Because security blankets in crops at pre-harvest and post-harvest level are not as strict as in developed countries, populations of developing countries are the most susceptible to aflatoxicosis illness (Williams et al., 2004). The same problem occurs with milk...
Introduction Aflatoxins are toxic, secondary metabolites synthesized by some fungi species in the genus Aspergillus, mainly those belonging to the species A. flavus, A. nomius, and A. parasiticus (Ismaiel et al., 2020). Aflatoxins are considered the most important mycotoxins, given their carcinogenic and hepatotoxic effects on animals and humans (Bhat et al., 2010). Among several types of aflatoxins, the most frequent ones found as natural contaminants of foodstuffs are aflatoxins...
Are Your Feeds Safe? This growing season has been a challenge across the upper Midwest. Whether your crops have been hit with drought or hail the odds are that we are going to see an increase potential for feed contaminants such nitrates or molds which cause mycotoxins. This article focuses on mycotoxins and how to manage them. Mycotoxins: Common Questions What is the difference between molds and mycotoxins? Molds...
1. Introduction Aspergillus is soil fungal species that have been recognized as a major contaminant of different grains utilized for poultry diets [1]. They grow rapidly under high moisture conditions and produce biologically active hepatotoxic aflatoxins [2]. Maize, cereals like rice, wheat, pistachios, cottonseed, copra groundnuts, and many other feed stuffs are contaminated by these fungal species [3–5]. Aflatoxin actually covers three words in accordance...
1. Introduction Traditionally, beer industry by-product (brewer’s grain) is used as a feedstuff intended for swine in the central region of Argentina. Worldwide, fungal contamination of foods and feeds, with consequent mycotoxin production, is a significant problem. Previous studies performed in Brazil determined the fungal flora as well as the presence of different mycotoxins in brewer’s grain and barley rootlets [1, 2]. Aflatoxins (AFs) are highly carcinogenic and...
Introduction Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi. They are unavoidable contaminants in foods and feeds, exerting harmful effects upon animal and human health 39 . The most important mycotoxins in naturally contaminated foods and feeds are aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxins, zearalenone, T-2 toxin, deoxynivalenol and fumonisins 7,32 . Aflatoxin contaminated feeds are a severe threat to both livestock productivity and human health and cause...
Introduction: The use of industry by-products and few other feed ingredients as feedstuff for swine is a regular practice and usually increases animal performances, hence making it more economical. The occurrence of aflatoxin contamination is global, causing severe problems especially in developing countries. Due to the insidious nature of aflatoxin production and the resulting disease states which made diagnosis of aflatoxin difficult; many cases of animal aflatoxicosis...
Introduction: Because of natural occurrence of mycotoxins in the finished food and grains used for the formulation of rations of various species, mycotoxicosis is considered a critical problem in swine feed production. Facing the difficulty of detection of mycotoxins in the finished food or raw material, it is important to increase the sampling frequency, because the effect of the mycotoxins is cumulative as the consumption of contaminated grains or contaminated food to...
1. Introduction Moulds have long been raising health issues in humans, animals as well as in plants; and they continue to be of major concern to public health and a considerable burden to the worldwide economy [1]. In addition to mycoses, they produce a myriad of poisonous toxins (mycotoxins) causing debilitating acute and chronic diseases in humans and animals. Moulds and their toxins have been the source of recurring disasters throughout the history of the mankind, but the...