Natural co-occurrence of fungi and mycotoxins in poultry feeds from Entre Ríos, Argentina

Abstract

A total of 120 pelleted poultry feed samples from Entre Ríos Province, Argentina, were evaluated. The aims were to investigate (1) the presence of relevant toxigenic fungi, as well as to determine the ability to produce aflatoxins (AFs) by Aspergillus section Flavi isolated strains; and (2) the natural co-occurrence of AFs, fumonisins (FBs), gliotoxin, diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), HT-2 and T-2 toxin by high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Total fungal counts were below the established value (1 × 10⁴ CFU g⁻¹). Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus were the only aflatoxigenic species isolated. Co-occurrence of fumonisin B₁ (FB₁), HT-2 and T-2 toxin was detected in 100% of the feeds, with mean levels from 4502 to 5813; 6.7 to 21.6 and 19.6 to 30.3 µg kg⁻¹, respectively. A large number of starter samples were co-contaminated with aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁), FB₁, HT-2 and T-2 toxins. Gliotoxin and DAS were not found in this survey.

Keywords:

• Aspergillus flavus
• Aspergillus parasiticus
• aflatoxins
• fumonisins
• T-2 toxin
• HT-2 toxin
• gliotoxin
• diacetoxyscirpenol
• starter and finisher poultry feed

Acknowledgements

This work was carried out thanks to grants from CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, the National Scientific and Technical Research Council), SECYT-UNRC (Secretaría de Ciencia y Técnica-Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto – the Secretariat of the scientific and technical department of the national university of Río Cuarto) and FONCYT-PICT (Agencia Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia, the Science and technology research agency) of Argentina. M.P. Monge receives fellowship from CONICET, Argentina. A.M. Dalcero, C.E. Magnoli and S.M. Chiacchiera are a member of the research centre of CONICET (CIC-CONICET), Argentina.