Efficacy of Gamma Irradiation in Preventing Moldiness and Preserving the Nutritional Value of Corn Grain for Broiler Chicks

Abstract

The effect of gamma irradiation of whole-corn grains on mold development during storage and on nutritional value for broiler chicks was determined in two experiments. Moisture content (MC) of the grains was either ca. 13.5 (natural) or ca. 16% (moistened); irradiation was applied at dosages of 7 and 10 kUogray (kGy) with follow-up of fungal development during the next 80 and 96 days. Feeding tests were initiated after 120 and 173 days of storage in Experiments 1 and 2, respectively.Mold development was observed already after 11 days in moistened grains. Irradiation, particularly of grains with low MC, delayed, but did not prevent fungal development. Fat content of moistened grains at the end of the storage period was not changed in Experiment 1, but it decreased markedly in Experiment 2. Irradiation did not affect this variable.The moistened corn did not adversely affect chick performance in Experiment 1, whereas in Experiment 2 it significantly (P<0S) increased feed intake and weight gain and depressed feed efficiency. Irradiation did not affect either of the variables of chick performance.It was concluded that gamma irradiation at the dosages applied was effective in preventing moldiness of low MC corn grains for ca. 60 days. However, moldiness per se did not necessarily disqualify the grains for use in poultry nutrition. Before use, such grains should be analyzed for the presence of mycotoxins, and their fat content determined to ensure their safety and economical value. (

Irradiation for Mold and Mycotoxin Control: A Review

“…Similarly, El‐Far and others () studied the inhibition of A. flavus in the poultry diet, reporting that no fungal growth and AF production was observed at a 6‐kGy dose. In contrast, Paster and others () reported that irradiation doses of 7 to 10 kGy delayed fungal development, particularly in feed grains with low moisture content, but did not completely prevent the moldiness of this product.…”

SURVIVAL OF AN UNIRRADIATED SALMONELLA TYPHIMURIUM MARKER STRAIN INOCULATED IN POULTRY FEEDS AFTER IRRADIATION

“…Likewise, varying resistance by indigenous bacteria and fungi has often been noted in studies using gamma irradiation to decontaminate cereal grains (Webb et al 1959;Mohyuddin and Skoropa 1970;Ito ef al. 1973;El-Zawahry et al 1985;Cuero et al 1986;Hanis et al 1988;Ramakrishna et al 1991;Paster et al 1991). Although pathogens are reduced or eliminated under these conditions, irradiation could also result in the elimination of bacteria antagonistic towards foodborne pathogens thus creating conditions favorable for recontamination.…”

Μελέτη Των Παραγόντων Αναστολής Της Βιοσύνθεσης Τοξικών Μεταβολιτών Των Μυκήτων Που Αναπτύσσονται Σε Αγροτικά Προϊόντα

“…Παρομοίως, οι El-Far et al (1992) [92] μελέτησαν την αναστολή του A. flavus στη διατροφή των πουλερικών, αναφέροντας ότι καμία ανάπτυξη μυκήτων και παραγωγή αφλατοξίνων δεν παρατηρήθηκε σε δόση 6 kGy. Σε αντίθεση, οι Paster et al (1991) [93] ανέφεραν ότι οι δόσεις ακτινοβολίας από 7 έως 10 kGy καθυστέρησαν τη μυκητιακή ανάπτυξη, ιδιαίτερα σε κτηνοτροφικά σιτηρά με χαμηλή περιεκτικότητα σε υγρασία. Όσον αφορά στα αποξηραμένα φρούτα, η ακτινοβολία των αραχίδων με δόση 5,2 kGy ήταν ικανή να εμποδίσει την ανάπτυξη των αφλατοξινογόνων μυκήτων χωρίς να επηρεάσει σημαντικά το περιεχόμενο πολυακόρεστων λιπαρών οξέων και πολυφαινόλων τους [94] .…”