September 28, 2007

 

DDGS contains dangerous mycotoxins, says Biomin

 

 

Feed additive company Biomin, in a study to determine the safety of using Distillers Dried Grains in Solubles (DDGS ) in animal diets, has found that the corn-byproduct contains dangerous mycotoxins.

 

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds with hazardous effects to animal health and productivity.

 

The chemicals were found in nearly all 103 grain samples from the US and Asia tested by the company. Grains from the US made up two-thirds of the grains sampled.

 

Samples were tested for major mycotoxins of interest to animal husbandry - aflatoxin B1, zearalenone (ZON), deoxynivalenol (DON or vomitoxin), T-2 toxin and fumonisins (FUM).

 

All tests were conducted by Quantas Analytics Austria, and Romer Labs Singapore.

 

The analyses were performed using standard procedures. Aflatoxins, ZON and total FUM were analyzed by HPLC (High Pressure Liquid Chromatography) whereas DON values were obtained by TLC (Thin Layer Chromatography).

 

For the purpose of data analysis, non-detect levels were based on the quantification limits of the test method for each toxin: Aflatoxin B1 <0. 5 µg/kg; ZON <10 µg/kg; DON <150 µg/kg; T-2.

 

The study found that 99 percent of DDGS samples were contaminated with at least one mycotoxin. 92 percent (ZON), 64 percent (DON), 87 percent (FUN) and 26 percent (T-2) of the samples were contaminated with these "field mycotoxins" produced mainly by Fusarium sp.

 

The average contamination levels found in the DDGS samples which tested positive for these mycotoxins were 333, 2130, 596 and 113 µg/kg respectively, which can already be considered as high contaminations.

 

For the abovementioned mycotoxins, contaminations as high as 8107, 12000, 9042 and 218 µg/kg respectively could be detected.

 

Aflatoxin B1, produced by Aspergillus sp., was present in 8 percent of the samples. The average contamination of the positive samples was 24 µg/kg. The highest concentration found for this mycotoxin in the analyzed samples was 89 µg/kg.

 

The only sample which tested negative for all analyzed mycotoxins was a wheat distiller.

 

Mycotoxin contamination depends to a great extent on the quality of the grains purchased by the ethanol plant, the study said.

 

If damaged grains are the most prevalent raw material, higher mycotoxin contamination levels will be found in the by-product, as these are preferred locations for fungi development and subsequent mycotoxin production, the study said.

 

Fermentation process during the production process of DDGS does not destroy mycotoxins but makes them more readily available to be absorbed by animals, the study said.

 

The maximum inclusion rates for DDGS range from 5 percent for nursery pigs' to 20 percent in finishing pigs, developing gilts, gestating sows and lactating sows' diets.

 

For poultry, these rates go from 10 percent in broilers' (starters) to 20 percent in breeders'diets.