The efficiency of mycotoxin binding by sorbents in the in vitro model using a naturally contaminated animal feed

Abstract

Introduction: The productivity of domestic animals and the safety of food products derived from them are jeopardised bymycotoxins in animal feed. To control them, feed additives are used, which limit the absorption of mycotoxins in the gastrointestinaltract of animals by binding to them. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a new in vitro model in experiments on thebinding of mycotoxins from buffers and contaminated feed and to confirm the effect of a single sorbent or mixture in binding them.Material and Methods: Nine mineral sorbents were tested for their efficiency binding eight mycotoxins. Two in vitro experimentswere conducted to indicate the mycotoxin-binding capacity of sorbents, each specifying a buffer with one of two different pH levelsreflecting gastrointestinal conditions (pH 3.5 and 7.0). The first investigated the sorbent with only the buffer and mycotoxinstandards, while the second did so with the sorbent, buffer and feed naturally contaminated with mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol,zearalenone, and ochratoxin A). Results: The sorption was significantly lower in the trial with feed. In the first experimentat gastric pH (pH 3.5), activated charcoal bound deoxynivalenol and sepiolite bound zearalenone at 70% and 96%, respectively,whereas in the second experiment with feed, the binding was only 3% and 6%. Conclusion: The study underlines the challenge offinding a feed additive that would work comprehensively, binding all mycotoxins regulated by law.