Mycotoxins semiannual survey of mycotoxin in feed in 2023 Taiwan

In 2023 mycotoxins semiannual survey, Life Rainbow Biotech randomly collected 152 feed samples of raw materials and feed mills in farms and analyzed. The samples were tested for aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, and G2), zearalenone, fumonisins (B1, B2, and B3) and deoxynivalenol (DON) by the ELISA Mycotoxin analysis kit.

Contamination in animal feed

Results:
152 feed samples collected, and 77% were contaminated with fumonisins (table 1). The maximum concentrations of aflatoxins, fumonisins and DON were over the limit of quantification in this survey.
Table 1: Mycotoxins contamination in animal feed in Taiwan in the second half of 2023.

	Aflatoxins	Zearalenone	Fumonisins	DON
Sample number	152	152	152	152
% of positive	40.1	53.9	77.0	44.7
Average of positive (ppb)	2.67	85	944	702
Max of positive (ppb)	>20	498	>5000	>5000

 

Contamination in corn meal

Data on corn meal, nursery, and pregnant diet were conducted to give the prevalence of mycotoxins. Out of total 152 samples, 31 samples from corn meal were analyzed that observed feed was contaminated 83.9% of fumonisins (table 2). The maximum concentrations of aflatoxins and fumonisins were over the limit of quantification in this survey.
Table 2: Mycotoxins contamination in corn meal in Taiwan in the second half of 2023.

	Aflatoxins	Zearalenone	Fumonisins	DON
Sample number	31	31	31	31
% of positive	19.4	29.0	83.9	58.1
Average of positive (ppb)	5.88	57	1191	616
Max of positive (ppb)	>20	130	>5000	1319

 

Contamination in nursery diet

Of 18 samples of nursery feed collected, and analyzed that feed sample were contaminated with 72.2% fumonisins (table 3).
Table 3: Mycotoxins contamination in animal nursery diet in Taiwan in the second half of 2023

	Aflatoxins	Zearalenone	Fumonisins	DON
Sample number	18	18	18	18
% of positive	44.4	38.9	72.2	27.8
Average of positive (ppb)	3.12	56	675	276
Max of positive (ppb)	5.43	91	1591	328

 

Contamination in pregnancy diet

The occurrence of mycotoxin in pregnant diet also analyzed and founded that fumonisins was most prevalent mycotoxins in pregnant diet, detected in 82.8% of samples (table 4).
Table 4: Mycotoxins contamination in animal pregnant diet in Taiwan in the second half of 2023.

	Aflatoxins	Zearalenone	Fumonisins	DON
Sample number	58	58	58	58
% of positive	44.8	55.2	82.8	43.1
Average of positive (ppb)	1.47	47	714	388
Max of positive (ppb)	2.40	116	1486	919

Conclusion:

In 2023, fumonisins was most prevalent mycotoxin exam in the feed samples in Taiwan.

To prevent mycotoxins' appearance in grains and cereals, the effective method is to avoid mold infection and populations' formation during grain growth to ensure that the harvested grains are clean and healthy. If the harvested cereals are contaminated, it is necessary to regulate the storage conditions to stop the expanded contamination scope. Mycotoxin contaminated feedstuffs will raise the risk to impact animal production and economic profit. According to the reginal survey, feed manufacturers and animal producers can be aware of the occurrence of mycotoxins and implemented actions into mycotoxin management.

Life Rainbow Biotech has researched mycotoxins for 17 years and developed an enzyme-type mycotoxin degrading product: Toxi-Free PLUS®. Toxi-Free PLUS® has three different special activity enzymes to degrading various types of mycotoxins and reducing the toxins' effect—reducing animal hazards. Adding Toxi-FreePLUS® to the feed use as a daily care product, can protect the farmed animals and reduce the damage caused by the mycotoxin, and make the animal live more comfortably and increase the farmer's profits.