Decline in global prevalence of four key mycotoxins

Between 2019 and last year there was a global decline in the extent of contamination and concentrations of four of the six main groups of mycotoxins examined by Trouw Nutrition, Nutreco’s animal nutrition division.

According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), mycotoxins are produced by various fungi that grow on agricultural products before or after harvest, or during transportation and storage.

If ingested via food and feed, mycotoxins can cause serious short- and longterm health problems in animals and people.

Trouw Nutrition’s 2020 Global Mycotoxin Review said the company had found declines in aflatoxins (AF), fumonisins (FUM), deoxynivalenol (DON), and zearalenone (ZEA). However, the average concentrations of T-2/HT-2 and ochratoxin A (OTA) had increased, “which could bring additional risk for some [livestock] producers, especially in India, Mexico and South Africa”.

The review stated that Trouw Nutrition had conducted almost 39 000 analyses across 35 countries in 2020, with items tested including feed, grain, grain by-products, protein sources, and silages. Of these, 84% of samples had tested positive for at least one mycotoxin (88% in 2019).

“Thus far in 2021, only a small number of feed ingredients have been analysed,” Trouw Nutrition said.

Early results showed high toxicity levels of DON in both Mexico and South Africa, along with T-2/HT-2 in South Africa.

“Aflatoxin may be an increasing concern in the US, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa,” Trouw added.

De Wet Boshoff, executive director of South Africa’s Animal Feed Manufacturers’ Association (AFMA), said the association’s technical committee, the Southern African Grain Laboratories, and AFMA’s members constantly monitored for mycotoxins in imported and locally produced feed ingredients, as well as in the manufactured feed itself.

“Research is clear on the affect of mycotoxins, and the risk levels per animal species or production type are frequently updated as our understanding of mycotoxins evolves,” Boshoff said.

“Whenever risk levels are triggered, various feed additive strategies or programmes exist to either deactivate mycotoxins, or to bind and neutralise the mycotoxin within the digestive system of the animal. In doing so, the mycotoxin’s effects on health and performance are reduced.”

The FAO said it was important to stress that the presence of mycotoxin-producing fungi on agricultural products did not necessarily mean mycotoxins would be found in these products. Conversely, the absence of fungi did not necessarily mean that mycotoxins would be absent.