Journal of Food: Microbiology, Safety & Hygiene
Open Access

Abstract

Influence of Season on the Occurrence of Aflatoxin B1 in Certain Feed Ingredients in India

Natarajan A, Sakthi Priya M* and Janani SR

A study was taken up to find out the prevalence of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination in certain feed ingredients and compounded feed, received from 2019 to 2021, to assess the pattern of occurrence of AFB1 with respect to two broader climatic seasons of non-rainy or dry (January to May) and rainy or wet (June-December) in India and to envisage the status of Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk from the stand-point of feeding such compound feeds. Data of AFB1 contamination in the commonly used feed ingredients known for their susceptibility to mycotoxins maize, De- Oiled Groundnut Cake (DOGNC), Cotton Seed Meal (CSM), De-Oiled Rice Bran (DORB) and the compounded feeds, received at Animal Feed Analytical and Quality Assurance Laboratory, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal were statistically analyzed. 3% maize showed highest incidence of >101 μg/kg AFB1 during wet season while it was 1.50% in dry season. Similar trend was observed in 21-100 μg/kg category. On the contrary, DOGNC was found to be more contaminated during the dry season; while 31.67% of samples showed >101 μg/kg during dry season, it was 19.64% in wet season. When both 21-100 and >101 μg/kg were considered together, 90.64% of samples showed positive in dry season against only 59.54% in wet. CSM, a lowly analyzed ingredient, showed similar % of occurrence of AFB1 in both seasons under the categories of >21-100 (4.08 vs. 4.04) and >101 μg/kg (10.20 vs. 10.10). While no DORB samples registered contamination in >100 μg/kg category, >21-100 μg/ kg category showed more in wet season. The trend of pattern of AFB1 that occurred in most feed ingredients, was also seen in finished compound feeds. While 95% feeds remained within safe mark of 20 μg/kg AFB1 during dry season, it was only 92.54% which were within the safe limit in wet season. More samples of compounded feeds were recorded under >21-100 and >101 μg/kg category in wet season, thus predisposing them to a possibly increased AFM1 presence in milk of cross bred dairy animals, with parallel increases in quantum of feeding of such AFB1 contaminated feeds and in the conversion efficiency of AFB1 to AFM1. The study advises intensive testing of feed ingredients prior to feed manufacturing throughout the year, more intensively during wet season.

Published Date: 2025-06-10; Received Date: 2024-09-06