Aflatoxin levels in commercial finisher balanced feeds for broilers and pigs from Venezuelan factories

Abstract

Mycotoxins, even so government regulates to control their levels in animal balance feeds, they could pose a problem to animal and human consumption health. Therefore, the aim was to determine the levels of total aflatoxins found in the finisher balanced feeds for broilers and pigs, produced by balanced feed factories (BFF) in Venezuela. Eleven BFFs were sampled and evaluated for the presence of aflatoxins: AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2, determined using the analytical chemical technique HPLC-FLD. Thirty three feed samples for broilers and 33 for pigs, a total of 66 samples were obtained from BFFs. The presence of aflatoxins was detected in 100 % of the finisher balanced feeds for poultry and pigs. The determined AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2 levels in finisher balanced feeds for broilers and pigs, rendered that the aflatoxin with the highest concentration was always AFB1. The averages of total aflatoxins detected from finisher feeds for broilers and pigs were within the maximum allowed limits (20 micrograms (μg) / kilograms (kg) of COVENIN standards (Venezuelan regulations). When compared each aflatoxin level (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2) eight out of eleven BFFs evaluated comply with the standard, but 3 (F1, F2 and F5) BFFs were outside (5 μg/kg). It is pertinent that the companies that produce final food for poultry and pigs carry out additional and frequent evaluations of other mycotoxins (Ocratoxins, fusarium mycotoxins and mycotoxins emerging) present in raw materials, in order to evaluate the risks in the agri-food chain, in the way to implement solutions before or after processesment to ensure public health quality.