Fungal contamination and natural occurrence of ochratoxin A (OTA) in poultry feed

Abstract

Total fungal count, the presence of potentially toxigenic fungi and natural occurrence of ochratoxin A (OTA) were studied in 30 poultry feed samples (14 samples of feed for chickens and 16 samples of feed for laying hens), which were collected from different farms in Serbia at the beginning of year 2014. The total number of fungi was determined by the method of dilution and OTA was detected using the imunoadsorption enzymatic assay (ELISA). In most of the samples of chickens feed (50%) the total number of fungi was 1 - 3 x 102 CFU g-1, and in feed for laying hens the highest number of samples (37.50%) had the total fungal count from 1.4 to 4.8 x 104 CFU g -1. The species of genera Aspergillus and Pénicillium were identified as producers of OTA in 21.43% and 42.86% of chickens feed samples and in 68.75% and 25% of samples of feed for laying hens. The presence of OTA was detected in 100% of samples of feed for chickens and laying hens, with average concentrations of 34.40 μg kg-1 (feed for chickens) and 43.89 μg kg-1 (feed for laying hens). The total fungal count and content of OTA were not above the maximum allowed quantities, even though the presence of Aspergillus and Penicillium species was found in a large number of samples (up to 68.75%). These results indicate that the tested samples of poultry feed were mycologically and mycotoxicologically correct.

Ukupan broj gljiva, prisustvo potencijalno toksigenih rodova gljiva i prirodna pojava ohratoksina A (OTA) proučavani su u 30 uzoraka hrane za živinu (14 uzoraka hrane za piliće i 16 uzoraka hrane za nosilje), koji su sakupljeni iz različitih farmi u Srbiji početkom 2014. godine. Ukupan broj gljiva određen je primenom metode razređenja a OTA je detektovan primenom imunoadsorpcione enzimske metode (ELISA). U najvećem broju uzoraka hrane za piliće (50%) ukupan broj gljiva je bio od 1 - 3 x 102 CFU g-1, a u hrani za nosilje najveći broj uzoraka (37,50%) imao je ukupan broj gljiva od 1,4 do 4,8 x 104 CFU g-1. Kao producenti OTA identifikovane su vrste iz rodova Aspergillus and Penicillium u 21,43% and 42,86% uzoraka hrane za piliće i u 68,75% and 25% uzoraka hrane za nosilje. Prisustvo OTA je detektovano u 100% uzoraka hrane za piliće i nosilje, sa prosečnim koncentracijama od 34,40 μg kg-1 (hrana za piliće) i 43,89 μg kg-1 (hrana za nosilje). Vrednosti za ukupan broj gljiva i sadržaj OTA nisu bile iznad maksimalno dozvoljenih količina, iako je ustanovljeno prisustvo Aspergillus i Penicillium vrsta u velikom broju uzoraka (do 68,75%). Ovi rezultati ukazuju da su ispitivani uzorci hrane za živinu mikološki i mikotoksikološki ispravni.