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Topic 5: How can I protect animals from mycotoxins ?
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A good solution is the use of feed additives. Feed additives were regulated in 2009 with Regulation 386 and were defined as substances for reduction of the contamination of feed by mycotoxins. The use of such products does not mean that the animal feed exceeding the established maximum limits may be used, but their use should improve the quality of the feed, which is lawfully on the market, providing additional guarantee for the protection of animal and public health. Currently, three feed additives have received authorization by the European Commission to be used for the issue. A bentonite, that is an aluminosilicate mineral authorized as a protoxin binder for all animal species, the micro-organism BBSH797, which is a biotransforming agent for dioxin-vanadol detoxification, and a fume enzyme, isafumolizine esterase, which was authorized for pigs and also for hermione species. Many products exert the ability to inhibit mycotoxins, but to be used for the issue, EFSA requires the characterization and the condition of use of the additive and requires assessing the safety and efficacy of the additive, before to approve it as mycotoxin detoxifying agents. Usually, they can work following different modes of action, degradation, detoxification or absorption. By detoxification, for example, using bacteria, different species are currently used, or enzymes, the chemical structures of mycotoxins are changed, transforming them in less toxic compounds. By absorption, mycotoxins are absorbed on the surface of binders, that can be organic or inorganic, so they are subtracted to the intestinal absorption and consequently they don't go in the blood circulation. Therefore, it's important to underline that binders work in the gastrointestinal tract of the animals, reducing the bioavailability of the mycotoxins and increasing the excretion of this toxic compound in the faeces. A way to compare different binders in binding mycotoxins and so in counteracting their toxic effect is to evaluate the binding capacity and affinity of the binders. These two physicochemical parameters depend on the structure of the adsorbent and adsorbate, mycotoxins in this case, and can be obtained preliminarily by in vitro studies using the isotherm method. Polarity and so electrostatic interactions or steric interactions can explain the goodness of the binders. It depends on many factors, first of all the type of binder. Some clays in emergency situations are already used for human treatment or disease, so they are not dangerous. Actually, their genotoxicity and cytotoxicity by in vitro tests and then in animals, for which they are authorized, need to be evaluated. Second factor is the purity. Indeed, binders can include heavy metal, dioxins, or toxic compounds. And if the impurity is too high, the binder can be dangerous and cannot be used or regulated, not even for animals. Third factor is dosage and exposure. Indeed, this binder can't be used with an amount higher than 2% weight per weight in animal feed. Anyway, many trials are conducted at a relatively low dosage, 5 kg per tons of feed. Concerning the use of enzymes and or bacteria, they are safe if remaining in animals, because they already have bacteria naturally in their intestinal microflora. Beyond all that, long-term studies about the effects of mycotoxin-detoxifying agents on human health are not yet proven. In conclusion, in the most of cases, these absorbents are natural compounds and so are not dangerous, but depends on different factors, and studies always need to be proved. Several studies report that unaggredible dietary fibers such as lignin or cellulose can readily absorb various substances preventing toxicosis resulting from xenobiotic compounds such as mycotoxins. In this context, bioabsorption by using agricultural by products has emerged as an alternative technique with the merits of being technically simple, safe, eco-friendly, and highly economical. Different natural substances have been studied for their efficacy in absorbing simultaneously a large range of mycotoxins. Diets rich in unaggredible fibers have been shown to overcome the toxicity of Zearalenone in rats and swine. A significantly protective effect of micronized wheat fibers against Ochratoxin A toxicity was demonstrated in vivo for rats and piglets. The efficacy of fibers in counteracting mycotoxicosis was assumed to be due to the absorption of mycotoxins to some components of the food plants. Biomass was also able to sequester simultaneously different mycotoxins such as Aflatoxine B1, Zearalenone, Ochratoxine A, and Fumonisine B1. Furthermore, interesting findings were obtained from in vitro studies regarding humic acids, originating from natural decaying of organic plant materials. They have shown the capacity to absorb mycotoxins as Aflatoxine B1, Ochratoxine A, and Zearalenone. Last but not least, recently the use of turmeric powder showed to be able to counteract the oxidative stress of Aflatoxine, reducing moreover its content in broiler liver.