October 17, 2025
Mycotoxins In Feed & Raw Materials: Asia Pacific Regional Overview (2022 - 2024)
Abstract
The presence of mycotoxins in animal feed and raw materials remains a persistent and often underestimated challenge in the livestock sector. Between 2022 and 2024, a total of 111 samples across the Asia Pacific region—were analysed by the Customer Laboratory Services (CLS) Department of Kemin Agrifood Asia as part of our ongoing feed scanning services.
This initiative supports our customers by providing detailed insights into feed safety and quality, helping them identify potential risks and maintain compliance with regulatory standards. The analysis of both raw materials and finished feed has revealed key trends in mycotoxin contamination across the region, highlighting the urgent need for proactive monitoring and control strategies.
Scope of Study
The study examined 111 samples, consisting of 59 finished feed samples and 52 raw material samples, tested for five major mycotoxins: Aflatoxin, Fumonisin, Ochratoxin A, Zearalenone, and Deoxynivalenol (DON). The analysis focused on detection above established limits and compliance with EU guidance under Commission Regulation 574/2004 and Recommendation 2006/576/EC.
Key Findings: High zearalenone, aflatoxin and fumonisin in feed
Out of 59 finished feed samples:
• Zearalenone was detected in 100% of samples, with all exceeding regulatory limits
• Aflatoxin and Fumonisin showed high prevalence, each with 97% positive detection rates.
• Ochratoxin A was detected in 92% of samples
Table 1: Mycotoxin detection rates and percentage of positive samples exceeding EU regulatory limits in finished feed samples (n = 59), based on testing conducted by the Customer Laboratory Services (CLS) Department, Kemin Agrifood Asia (2022–2024).
High Zearalenone, Aflatoxin and Fumonisin in raw materials
Raw material results paint a slightly different picture. While detection rates were lower overall, Zearalenone again emerged as a key concern:
• 73% of raw materials were positive for Zearalenone and 100% of those exceeded the EU Regulatory Limit
• Aflatoxin was detected in 53%, and Fumonisin in 44% of raw material samples.
• Ochratoxin A and Deoxynivalenol were largely within safe limits, with detection rates of 10% and 17%, respectively.
Table 2. Mycotoxin detection rates and percentage of samples exceeding EU regulatory limits in raw material samples (n = 52), based on testing conducted by the Customer Laboratory Services (CLS) Department, Kemin Agrifood Asia (2022–2024).
What's behind the contamination?
Factors contributing to the prevalence of mycotoxins include:
• Weather volatility and climate changes, which increase fungal growth.
• Poor post-harvest storage, especially in humid regions.
• Use of substandard or contaminated raw materials in feed formulations.
Beyond single toxins: The overlooked threat of mycotoxin synergies
Recent survey findings show that Aflatoxin, Zearalenone, and Fumonisin are the most concerning mycotoxins in today's feed chain. What makes them especially risky is not only their individual toxicity, but the way they interact with each other:
• "1 + 1 > 2" Effect: Research confirmed that most mycotoxin combinations act synergistically or additively, meaning their combined impact is often far greater than the sum of individual toxins (Grenier & Oswald, 2011).
• Aflatoxin + Fumonisin: Together, these two toxins significantly intensify liver damage, immune suppression, and growth depression in pigs and poultry, effects more severe than single exposures (Speijers & Speijers, 2004).
• Zearalenone + Fumonisin: Fumonisin disrupts sphingolipid metabolism, which amplifies Zearalenone's estrogenic activity, leading to heightened reproductive disorders in pigs (Grenier & Oswald, 2011).
• Zearalenone + Aflatoxin: In poultry, this pair of mycotoxins increases oxidative stress, reduces egg quality, and worsens liver lesions; in swine, fertility outcomes are negatively impacted (Andretta et al., 2012).
Action points for the feed industry
These findings make it clear that the challenge for the feed industry is not only identifying individual toxins but preparing for the reality of multiple mycotoxins acting together. This calls for practical measures that go beyond the laboratory and into day-to-day feed management:
• Routine Screening – Increase frequency of testing, with special attention to Zearalenone and Aflatoxin, which frequently co-occur.
• Supplier Vigilance – Audit raw material sources regularly and enforce strict traceability to prevent contaminated inputs.
• Broad-Spectrum Binders – Incorporate proven, science-based binders that address multiple toxins simultaneously and reduce bioavailability.
• Storage & Handling Discipline – Maintain silo hygiene and invest in moisture control systems to minimize fungal growth during storage.
Final takeaway
This data confirms what many in the Asia Pacific feed industry have long suspected: mycotoxin contamination remains a significant and ongoing threat, particularly from Zearalenone, Aflatoxin, and Fumonisin. As feed safety regulations tighten and livestock productivity becomes increasingly critical, proactive testing, sourcing, and management strategies are no longer optional, they are essential.
- Angeline Gue, Dexter Lee and David Tey, Department of Kemin Agrifood Asia
