The present study was carried out to evaluate the excretion of aflatoxin B1 residues in eggs of young laying hens fed aflatoxin B1-contaminated rations for 8 weeks. To this end, 96 twenty-week-old hens were randomly distributed into four experimental groups (24 birds per group) and given rations containing either 0 (controls), 100 micrograms, 300 micrograms or 500 micrograms aflatoxin B1/kg feed. Egg aflatoxin B1 residues were determined by thin layer chromatography; two samples per treatment per week were used for analysis. Egg production and average egg weights were not affected (p < 0.05) in the groups receiving aflatoxin B1-contaminated rations. Residues of aflatoxin B1 were detected only in the eggs of hens given 500 micrograms/kg feed, at levels that ranged from 0.05 to 0.16 microgram/kg (average: 0.10 microgram/kg). The results indicate that the feed to eggs aflatoxin B1 transmission ratio was approximately 5000:1, emphasizing the importance of controlling aflatoxin levels in rations for laying hens.

The individual and combined effects of dietary aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and fumonisin B1 (FB1) on liver pathology, serum levels of aspartate amino-transferase (AST) and plasma total protein (TP) of broilers were evaluated from 8 to 41 days of age. Dietary treatments included a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement with three levels of AFB1 (0, 50 and 200 μg AFB1/kg), and three levels of FB1 (0, 50 and 200 mg FB1/kg). At 33 days post feeding, with the exception of birds fed 50 mg FB1 only, concentrations of AST were higher (p < 0.05) in all other treatment groups when compared with controls. Plasma TP was lower (p < 0.05) at six days post feeding in groups fed 200 μg AFB1/kg alone or in combination with FB1. At day 33 days post feeding, with the exception of birds fed the highest combination of AFB1 and FB1 which had higher plasma TP than control birds, plasma TP of birds fed other dietary treatments were similar to controls. Broilers receiving the highest levels of AFB1 and FB1 had bile duct proliferation and trabecular disorder in liver samples. AFB1 singly or in combination with FB at the levels studied, caused liver damage and an increase in serum levels of AST.

Natural mycoflora and co-occurrence of fumonisins (FB1, FB2) and aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2) in freshly harvested corn grain samples from four regions of Brazil were investigated. Fusarium verticillioides was predominant in all samples. Analysis of fumonisins showed that 98% of the samples were contaminated with FB1 and 74.5% with FB1 + FB2, with toxin levels ranging from 0.015 to 9.67 μg/g for FB1 and from 0.015 to 3.16 μg/g for FB2. Twenty-one (10.5%) samples were contaminated with AFB1, seven (3.5%) with AFB2 and only one (0.5%) with AFG1 and AFG2 Co-contamination with aflatoxins and fumonisins was observed in 7% of the samples. The highest contamination of fumonisins and aflatoxins was observed in Nova Odessa (SP) and Várzea Grande (MT), respectively. The lowest contamination of these mycotoxins was found in Várzea Grande and Nova Odessa, respectively.

a b s t r a c tAflatoxin M 1 (AFM 1 ) is a hepatocarcinogen found in milk of animals that have consumed feeds with aflatoxin B 1 . The carry-over of AFM 1 from milk to Minas Frescal cheese produced with or without starter cultures was determined. 40 L of milk were divided into 10 L each and assigned to the following treatments for cheese manufacture: 0.250 ng AFM 1 mL À1 , 0.500 ng AFM 1 mL À1 , 0.250 ng AFM 1 mL À1 þ starter, 0.500 ng AFM 1 mL À1 þ starter. Quantification of AFM 1 was achieved by high performance liquid chromatography. The carry-over of AFM 1 from milk to cheese ranged from 30.64% to 42.26%. There was no effect of storage time on AFM 1 . Milk with AFM 1 in levels studied may concentrate the toxin in Minas Frescal cheese, but at concentrations below the Brazilian tolerance limit. The addition of starter cultures did not influence concentration or stability of the AFM 1 in cheese over 30 days storage.

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This study aimed to determine the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) binding capacity of a beer fermentation residue (BFR) containing Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, and the efficacy of BFR to ameliorate the toxic effects of AFB1 on performance, serum biochemistry, and histology of broilers. The BFR was collected from a microbrewery, and the yeast cells were counted, dried, and milled before it was used in the study. In vitro evaluation of the BFR was conducted using different concentrations of AFB1 (2.0, 4.0, 8.0, 16.0, and 32.0 μg AFB1/mL) and 100 mg/10 mL of BFR at pH 3.0 or 6.0. Two hundred 1-day-old male broilers (Ross 308) were assigned to chick batteries and allowed ad libitum access to feed and water. A completely randomized design was used with 5 replicate pens of 5 chicks assigned to each of 4 dietary treatments from hatch to 21 d, which included: 1) basal diet (BD), with no BFR or AFB1; 2) BD supplemented with 1% BFR; 3) BD supplemented with 2 mg AFB1/kg of feed; and 4) BD supplemented with 2 mg AFB1/kg feed and 1% BFR. Performance variables were determined weekly, while serum analyses were performed on d 14 and 21. At the end of the study, chicks were anesthetized with carbon dioxide, euthanized by cervical dislocation, and the kidney, liver, and bursa of Fabricius were removed for determination of relative weights, and for histological evaluation. In vitro assays showed that the higher the initial AFB1 concentration in solution, the greater the AFB1 amount adsorbed by BFR at both pHs tested. Feed intake, BW gain, and concentrations of albumin, total protein, and globulin increased (P < 0.05) in broilers fed BFR+AFB1 (Diet 4), when compared to the birds receiving only AFB1 (Diet 2). Although BFR was not able to reduce or prevent the effects of AFB1 on relative weights of kidneys and liver, it reduced the severity of histological changes in the liver and kidney caused by AFB1.

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RESUMO -Em dois ensaios experimentais, avaliaram-se níveis de lisina digestível (0,90; 1,00; 1,10; 1,20 e 1,40%) combinados a zinco quelado (43 e 253 ppm) para frangos de corte machos. Os períodos considerados foram: 1 a 11 dias de idade (desempenho) e 1 a 7 dias de idade (balanço de nitrogênio). O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de blocos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 5 × 2. No ensaio de desempenho, utilizaram-se 7 repetições e 15 aves por unidade experimental e, no ensaio de digestibilidade, 6 repetições e 6 aves por unidade experimental. As dietas continham 2.960 de EM/kg e 21% de proteína bruta. Na fase de 1 a 11 dias de idade, não houve efeito de interação lisina digestível × zinco quelado no desempenho, mas verificou-se efeito quadrático dos níveis de lisina digestível sobre o peso final, o ganho de peso e o ganho de peso relativo e efeito linear crescente no consumo de ração. A conversão alimentar não diferiu com as variações dos níveis de lisina digestível e zinco na dieta. Nas condições de avaliação do desempenho, o nível ótimo de lisina digestível para frangos de corte machos mantidos em piso de concreto é de 1,19%. Na fase de 1 a 7 dias de idade, não houve influência da relação entre níveis de lisina digestível e zinco quelado no balanço de nitrogênio. A retenção de nitrogênio aumentou de forma linear crescente com o aumento da concentração de lisina digestível na dieta, o que está de acordo com o aumento linear do ganho de peso e da eficiência alimentar. A exigência de lisina digestível para frangos de corte machos de 1 a 7 dias de idade é igual ou superior a 1,40%.Palavras-chave: aminoácidos, deposição de nutrientes, micronutrientes, nutrição Digestible lysine and zinc chelate to male broiler: Performance in the preinitial phase and nitrogen retention ABSTRACT -Two experiments were carried out to evaluate different levels of digestible lysine (0.90; 1.00; 1.10; 1.20; e 1.40%) combined with zinc chelate (43 and 253 ppm) to male broiler. The considered periods were: initial phase -performance(1 to 11 days old) and nitrogen retention (1 to 7 days old). A randomized block experimental design in a 5 × 2 factorial arrangement was used. In performance assay, 7 replications and 15 birds per experimental unit was used. In the digestibility essay, 6 replications 6 birds for experimental unit were used. The diets contained 2.960 kcal/kg ME and 21.0% crude protein.In the initial phase, there was no digestible lysine × zinc chelate interaction on performance study, however a quadratic effect of digestible lysine on final weight, weight gain, relative weight gain and crescent linear effect in feed intake was observed.In feed: gain ratio did not differ with digestible lysine level and zinc chelate in the diet. In the performance, the better digestible lysine level for broiler raised in concrete floor is 1.19%. From 1 at 7 days old, there was no influence of the combinations of digestible lysine and zinc chelate on nitrogen balance. The nitrogen retention linearly increased as digestible lysine increased in...