September 8, 2023

Adisseo's Mycopedia: An extensive user's guide to the mycotoxin threat

With the guide, Adisseo "strongly" positions itself "with a one-stop solution" addressing mycotoxin challenges, he adds.

Communod shares more of what readers can expect from Mycopedia.

 

How would Adisseo's Mycopedia help readers understand the challenge of mycotoxins?

Ricardo Communod: Mycopedia equips readers with the knowledge needed to know mycotoxins, their impact on feed quality and safety and how to effectively mitigate mycotoxin-related risks and make informed decisions in livestock production.

It does this through the following:

    - Understanding mycotoxin significance: Mycopedia highlights the significant problem mycotoxins pose in the animal feed industry, emphasising their impact on livestock production and profitability;

    - Comprehensive knowledge for non-experts: Covering various aspects of mycotoxin management, the guidebook provides practical insights for industry professionals who may not be experts in mycotoxins;

    - Avoiding misinterpretation and unreliable information: Mycopedia addresses the issue of unreliable online information, ensuring accurate and up-to-date guidance to prevent misconceptions;

    - Collaboration of scientific and practical experts: Contributions from both scientific and experienced specialists offer a holistic view of mycotoxins, providing practical solutions for real-world challenges;

    - Focus on post-ingestion mitigation: While avoiding mycotoxin-contaminated feeds is ideal, Mycopedia emphasises the importance of post-ingestion mitigation strategies, exploring and sharing how new low levels of contamination have a huge impact on animal health and performances;

    - Future trends and developments: The guidebook explores emerging trends, such as climate change and new mycotoxin discoveries, to help readers prepare for upcoming challenges in mycotoxin management;

    - Practical and user-friendly format: Mycopedia's organised structure focuses on animal species rather than mycotoxin types, making it accessible for readers to delve into specific effects. References to scientific publications add reliability and save time for industry professionals and researchers;

    - Periodic updates: Adisseo remains vigilant about market developments, committed to publishing updated versions of Mycopedia to ensure relevance in the rapidly changing mycotoxin landscape.

 

What can you tell us about the fresh insights offered by Mycopedia?

Ricardo Communod: Mycopedia serves as a valuable tool to bridge the knowledge gap, offer fresh insights and provide practical guidance for industry professionals dealing with mycotoxin challenges in their daily operations.

Some of the notable insights include:

    - Early prediction models: The guidebook explores the development of early prediction models for mycotoxin contamination, developed with experts in crop management. These models can help identify potential mycotoxin risks in raw materials and feed — before they are received by the customers and become a problem — enabling proactive mitigation measures;

    - Meta-analysis of mycotoxin effects: The guidebook presents a meta-analysis of existing literature focused on mycotoxin effects in animals. This comprehensive review offers a broader perspective on the impact of mycotoxins on different species, helping readers understand the extent of their effects on animal health and performance. Customers will be able to estimate the economic impact of mycotoxins in animal performances, allowing them to better assess the solutions to apply with their expected ROI (return on investment);

    - Natural bio-inactivation mechanisms: The guidebook examines natural bio-inactivation mechanisms developed by different species through evolution. Insights into these mechanisms can contribute to developing novel mitigation approaches and better assessment of the strategies developed by different suppliers;

    - Impact of external trends: Mycopedia highlights the influence of external trends, such as stricter safety regulations for human food, climate change affecting raw material availability, consumer preferences and regulatory burdens. These trends can lead to changes in the mycotoxin landscape, impacting the cost of the potential mitigation strategies.

Several reasons were behind the decision to develop such a book, in particular, when considering the Asia-Pacific market:

    - Lack of comprehensive resources: Prior to Mycopedia, animal and feed producers had to consult multiple sources of information on mycotoxins, which is time-consuming and often results in missing or misinterpretation of important data. Mycopedia provides a one-stop, comprehensive resource that covers various aspects of mycotoxins in an easy-to-navigate format. It includes 1,000 scientific articles with references for a fast and trusted verification;

    - Misconceptions and unreliable information: The guidebook aims to address misconceptions and unreliable information in the industry. Adisseo acknowledges that some professionals may downplay the impact of mycotoxins or rely on outdated information for mitigation strategies, leading to sub-optimal results. Mycopedia provides accurate and up-to-date insights to rectify this issue. For example, a typical situation we see is poultry producers sometimes choosing a strong adsorbent to bind deoxynivalenol (DON) without knowing that this might further exacerbate the issue. Another example is the selection of clay-based products by customers who do not know the different classifications of adsorbent agents in Europe, and are not familiar with the category 1m558 for bentonites;

    - Practical guidance for non-experts: Adisseo's mission is to support key actors in animal nutrition and help them deal with mycotoxin-related risks effectively. Mycopedia is specifically designed to empower industry professionals who may not be experts in mycotoxins but routinely face mycotoxin issues in their business. It provides practical knowledge and solutions to mitigate mycotoxin risks in livestock production.

 

How can Adisseo's approach to mycotoxin challenges be better applied based on the information provided by Mycopedia?

Ricardo Communod: Here's how Mycopedia can influence Adisseo's approach:

    - Customer education and support: Adisseo can use this guidebook to educate and support its customers in understanding the complexities of mycotoxin management and making better-informed decisions regarding their livestock nutrition and health. By empowering its customers with knowledge, Adisseo strengthens its partnerships and helps them achieve better profitability in their operations;

    - Identification of knowledge gaps: The development of Mycopedia involved gathering contributions from academic and industry experts worldwide. Through this collaborative process, Adisseo gains access to the latest research findings and potential knowledge gaps in mycotoxin mitigation. By understanding these gaps, Adisseo can direct its research and development efforts to address emerging challenges and develop innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of the industry;

    - Enhanced application of existing technologies: Mycopedia provides comprehensive insights into the effects of mycotoxins on different animal species and the best practices for their control. Armed with this knowledge, customers will use Adisseo's products effectively to maximise their impact on animal health, performance and ROI;

    - Targeted future solution development: Mycopedia includes a chapter dedicated to future developments and trends in mycotoxin management. By identifying upcoming challenges such as climate change, new mycotoxin discoveries and changes in manufacturing practices, Adisseo can focus its efforts on developing targeted and forward-thinking solutions to address these anticipated issues. This proactive approach ensures that Adisseo remains at the forefront of mycotoxin mitigation technology and continues to provide cutting-edge solutions to its customers.

 

How does Mycopedia differ in terms of, for example, delivery of information and data analysis, when compared to mycotoxin surveys from other companies? Please describe the methodology behind the creation of Mycopedia.

Ricardo Communod: Here's how Mycopedia stands out:

Comprehensive and up-to-date information: Mycopedia is a comprehensive resource that covers various aspects of mycotoxins in animal nutrition and production. Unlike mycotoxin surveys that may focus on specific aspects or types of mycotoxins, Mycopedia provides a wide-ranging and detailed examination of the topic, making it a more extensive and complete source of information. It helps to better read and interpret the surveys provided by other companies. For instance, together with the Adisseo Risk Assessment map and explanations, customers can independently assess the contaminations offered by other companies and independently decide what risk they may encounter with their raw materials and what strategy is the most suited for them;

    - Practical guidance for industry professionals: It offers practical guidance and solutions to help non-experts effectively mitigate mycotoxin-related risks in their daily operations. The focus on actionable insights sets Mycopedia apart as a user-friendly and applicable guide. It is a flexible tool that the industry professional will use on a daily basis to reassess their risk, establish their quality management plans and reduce the exposure of the animals to the mycotoxins;

    - Collaboration with experts from multiple fields: The guidebook includes contributions from academic researchers as well as experienced specialists, such as those in crop protection, feed mill management, veterinarians, laboratory experts and sales and technical colleagues. This combination of expertise ensures a more holistic approach to mycotoxin mitigation, considering both theoretical knowledge and real-world applications. One of the best outcomes is a prediction model on animal performance reduction from actual mycotoxin contamination, something that will help professionals properly assess the impact of mycotoxins even before the exposure happens. They can thus better decide the treatment with a more accurate ROI calculation.

The writing of Mycopedia began in 2022. It was developed in response to a perceived need in the industry. Adisseo noticed that mycotoxins were not always prioritised in discussions among animal and feed producers until obvious issues occurred. Mycopedia aims to fill this knowledge gap and provide the necessary information for practical decision-making.

The team at Adisseo conducted extensive research, gathering insights from more than a thousand references to scientific publications. This thorough analysis ensures that the guidebook contains the latest and most relevant information on mycotoxins.

Adisseo also reached out to best-in-class scientists and industry experts globally to contribute to the guidebook in their respective fields. This collaborative effort brings together diverse perspectives and expertise, enriching the content and ensuring its accuracy and reliability.

 

Can we expect a reevaluation or recalibration of current mycotoxin management strategies as feed formulators gain knowledge from Mycopedia?

Ricardo Communod: Feed formulators are likely to recalibrate their approaches to mycotoxin challenges and improve animal nutrition and production outcomes with the knowledge gained from Mycopedia.

Adisseo's commitment to providing practical solutions and empowering customers in mycotoxin mitigation is evident through its contribution to the guidebook. Adisseo's proactive steps in offering a reliable tool demonstrate its dedication to supporting industry professionals in making informed decisions and implementing effective mitigation strategies.

With Mycopedia, the main benefits in the field to the professionals are:
 

    - Improving risk assessment: The guidebook's comprehensive coverage of mycotoxin-related risks and mitigation measures enables feed formulators to improve their risk assessment processes. They can develop more robust strategies to identify potential mycotoxin issues in raw materials and feeds, allowing for early interventions and preventive measures;

    - Making informed decisions: Armed with accurate and up-to-date information, feed formulators can make more informed decisions regarding mycotoxin mitigation strategies. They can better understand the risks associated with various mycotoxins and their impact on different animal species, leading to more targeted and return-oriented solutions;

    - Optimising product formulation: Mycopedia's insights can help feed formulators optimise product formulations to minimise mycotoxin risks while maintaining animal health and performance, aligned with the company vision and mission;

    - Enhancing customer support: Adisseo's involvement in the creation of Mycopedia showcases its commitment to supporting the industry and its customers. By providing this valuable resource, Adisseo helps its customers gain a deeper understanding of mycotoxin management and offers guidance on how to optimise their feed formulations and operations, in a more independent and trusted way, which has never been done before.

 

    - Terry Tan, eFeedLink