IN VITRO ASSESSMENT OF BINDING CAPACITY OF COMBINED ADSORBENT (BENTONITE WITH YEAST CELL WALL EXTRACTS) AND AFLATOXIN B1

Abstract

Th e contamination of animal feed with mycotoxins is a worldwide problem in the animal husbandry, but it also represents a serious threat for the whole food chain. Th e health of both animals and humans is potentially endangered. From this point of view afl atoxins are a class of mycotoxins especially well known. Th erefore, new strategies to combat these natural contaminants are constantly being developed. Th e most applied method to protect animals against afl atoxicosis is the utilization of feed additives aimed to adsorb afl atoxins. In order to estimate adsorbing potential of feed additive “MycoStop DUPLO”, designed for the prevention and/or alleviation of adverse eff ects of afl atoxin B1 in animal nutrition, in vitro trial was conducted. As a result of the experiment, conducted at pH 5 during 120 minutes of incubation at 37°C, the optimal formulation of the adsorbent was revealed. Th is product, in low concentration and in the presence of high amounts of toxin, met the stringent European regulation requirements for minimum 90% afl atoxin binding effi ciency (90.1% achieved with 0.02% adsorbent and 4 mg/L toxin concentration). In higher adsorbent (0.2%), and lower toxin (0.2 mg/L) conditions, adsorption was 99.6%. Such outcome indicated the validity of in vitro experimental approach which can serve as a reliable fast tool for triage of adsorbents and preselect them for in vivo tests.