ABSTRACT

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZON), deoxynivalenol (DON) and T-2 toxin are the most extensively studied toxic fungal metabolites. Once mycotoxins enter the food/feed production chain keeping their toxic characteristics, it is very difficult to remove or eliminate them. One of promising methods to reduce mycotoxins in contaminated food/feedstuffs is the use of mycotoxin binders. This paper presents the results of in vitro investigations of mineral mycotoxin binders (bentonite - BEN, diatomite – DIA and zeolite - ZEO), and organic mycotoxin binders - agricultural waste materials (Myriophillium spicatum, peach and sour cherry pits). Chemical compositions of the adsorbents have showed that they do not consist of elements toxic to the animals. Inorganic adsorbents (BEN, DIA and ZEO) tested in vitro were better binders of AFB1 (94.97% - 96.90%), while the biosorbents were more efficient in adsorption of OTA (19.98% - 66.66%), ZON (33.33% - 75.00%) and T-2 toxin (16.67% - 50.00%). Inorganic adsorbents and organic waste materials expressed similar binding capacity for DON in vitro, with the exception of M. spicatum that did not at all adsorb this type B trichothecene. Our results indicate that feed contamination with different types of mycotoxins might be diminished by a product that combines different inorganic and organic adsorbents with diverse mycotoxin binding properties.