Project Objectives:
Mycotoxins are toxins that are produced by a fungus or mold. Ochratoxin A (OTA) and DON, the toxin produced by the fungus responsible for causing Fusarium Head Blight in cereal crops, cause considerable economic losses worldwide, as well as in Manitoba. They are known carcinogens and adversely affect kidney and liver function. When present in contaminated grain, these toxins can suppress livestock immune systems, reduce growth rates and decrease feed efficiency.
The overall objective of this research is to investigate the potential to use the compound chitosan as a toxin binder to detoxify grain that is contaminated with OTA and DON. Chitosan is easily produced from chitin - the hard outer shell of crustaceans such as lobster and crab -and is a waste product of the sea food processing industry. In the past, it has been used as a binding agent for heavy metals, dyes and pesticides. The development of chitosan for use in the feed industry would enable livestock producers to use contaminated grain that would otherwise have to be discarded. The potential also exists to apply this technology to other compounds such as antibiotics and the heavy metal cadmium.
Observations and Conclusions:
The results demonstrated that cholestyramine (CHA) is probably the only adsorbent that can effectively reduce uptake of ochratoxin A (OTA) by animals. The results of the study demonstrated that CHA, when added to the diet, reduces the concentrations of OTA in blood and increases its clearance by way of the feces. The kidney, liver and other tissues are therefore exposed to a lower amount of the toxin, resulting in reduced tissue damage and improved animal performance. A reduced tissue level of toxin is also of great importance as future international regulations will probably require that OTA concentration in food products be less than five parts per billions (5 ug/kg tissue). Also, Canadians are becoming more health conscious and will insist that our food products be free of mycotoxins such as OTA (the second most potent known natural carcinogen after aflatoxin B1).
A previous survey has demonstrated that significant concentrations of OTA can occur in Manitoba pork products, therefore, the use of CHA in feedstuffs should be of benefit to Manitoba farmers. Further studies are required to confirm the economic feasibility of adapting the procedure for control of OTA in swine, poultry and domestic livestock.
For more information contact: Ron Marquardt Ph: 204-474-8188 or rr_marquardt [at] umanitoba [dot] ca
