Occurrence of Aflatoxins in Feeds and Feeding stuffs: 2005- 2009.

H. Wan Syahidah, S. Marni, D. Suhaimi And M. Ismail

Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites produces by moulds belonging to Aspergillus species (Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus). Aflatoxins can be found in a wide variety of agricultural and food products especially in cereal and cereal products and animal feeds as a result of mould contamination before or during harvest or improper storage. In the European Union, the maximum tolerable level for total aflatoxins is 20 ng/g in all feed materials and complete feeds for poultry, pigs, sheep, cattle and goats (except complete feeds for dairy animals, 5ng/g). There are four major groups of aflatcxins: B 1, B2, GI and G2. Aflatoxins M1, a metabolite of Aflatoxins B1 in mammals, may be found in the milk of animals eating feeds contaminated by Aflatoxin B1. A total of 911 feed samples were analysed for aflatoxins by the Veterinary Public Health Laboratory from year 2005 to 2009. The samples were categorized into four groups: raw feeds (wheat bran, maize, soya bean, palm kernel cake etc), complete feeds (poultry feeds, rabbit feeds, layer duck feeds, goat feeds, cattle supplements etc), by-product feeds (soya bean hull, brewers grain etc), and grasses. All samples were from Malaysian feedmillers, farmers, private and government sectors and researchers. From 911 feed samples analysed, the highest contaminated samples were in the grasses group. This effect was probably due to high humidity compared to other groups of samples. However, 10% of the samples from by-product feeds were contaminated exceeding acceptable level of 20 ng/g, followed by 2.8% from raw feeds, and 0.8% from complete feeds. Aflatoxin B 1 which is acutely toxic and most carcinogenic was the prevalent compound in the samples. Results shows that animal feedstuffs were not totally safe for animal feeding and may reduce animal performance as well as can affect food quality of animal origin.