May 5, 2005
Impextraco's five star mycotoxin eliminator proves its worth
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolic products of fungi (moulds) and they are toxic to animals or humans. They can be produced on the raw materials before harvest or during storage. They can also be produced on the finished feed when storage conditions are not correct.
Mycotoxins differ in their mode of action but also in their chemical structure. Whereas some mycotoxins (mainly aflatoxins) can be removed with the so-called "mycotoxin binders", others such as zearalenone or trichothecenes cannot be bound. Therefore, another mode of action against these mycotoxins had to be found. Recent research has shown that some enzymes promote the modification of these mycotoxins into significantly less harmful chemical compounds.
ELITOX®, the five star mycotoxin eliminator from IMPEXTRACO, combines different strategies. It contains enzymes, a biopolymer, a combination of minerals, natural extracts, and vitamins. ELITOX® was developed in collaboration with research institutes in Belgium and The Netherlands. One of the major tools used is a "gut simulator" where conditions such as temperature, pH, addition of enzymes, etc. allow studying interaction between feed, mycotoxins and mycotoxin-deactivating substances in "real" conditions. This offers a clear advantage when compared to the classical in-vitro tests where only pH is controlled and other parameters are not taken into account.
Simple measurements in the feed (in vitro) are not appropriate to reveal the real binding or inactivation of mycotoxins, since they do not verify whether reactions in the digestive tract itself would influence the result. On the other hand, trials on animals are necessary, but their validity is always questionable because animal performance can be influenced by other factors such as weather conditions, management, etc. The gut simulator used to develop ELITOX® offers an excellent alternative where individual variations are eliminated and all factors are controlled.
Day after day, ELITOX®, the five star mycotoxin eliminator from IMPEXTRACO, is proving its efficacy in both poultry and swine.
