September 18, 2020

Trouw Nutrition webinar to spotlight mycotoxin interactions and feed-to-food safety

As the 2020 harvest season gets underway in the Northern hemisphere, Trouw Nutrition, a Nutreco company, is presenting the next instalment in its global webinar series on Wednesday, September 23. "Mycotoxin Interactions: an open challenge to a global industry'' will be led by Dr. Swamy Haladi, PhD, global programme manager Mycotoxin Risk Management.

Dr. Haladi will share analyses on mycotoxins found in thousands of raw materials and complete feed samples from around the world and discuss the challenges that arise when these mycotoxins interact.

"Mycotoxins present a serious risk to the quality and safety of raw materials and compound feed. Ultimately, safe feed is a prerequisite for the production of safe food," says Dr. Haladi.  "One mould can produce multiple mycotoxins and one particular mycotoxin can be produced by many moulds." He noted that multiple mycotoxins are commonly found in a single raw material and such an effect may become amplified in complete feeds containing many raw materials. Animals' intake of mycotoxins in feeds leads to in vivo toxicological interactions posing concerns for animal health and ultimately the food produced.

The webinar will discuss additive, synergistic and antagonistic classifications of mycotoxins. The most common interaction category is additive, followed by synergy and antagonism. "Synergy is particularly dangerous to animals as even low levels of mycotoxins can cause economic losses to farmers. Synergistic toxicity has been scientifically established for many mycotoxins in animal models," says Dr. Haladi.

During the webinar, Dr. Haladi will elaborate on how masked and undetected mycotoxins in feed ingredients and compound feed can interact inside the animal's body. He will also touch upon the symptoms and indicators of multiple mycotoxin toxicity in livestock and poultry as well the importance of rapid response even when the mycotoxin levels appear to be in the low risk range. Finally, he will offer practical guidance values for mycotoxins in complete feeds and their effective management.

Two webcast sessions will be held on September 23 at 10am or 4pm CEST. The webinars are free and open to industry professionals, but registration is required. Registration is available here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/4173535441738710031?source=Global+media