Potential adverse effects on animal health and performance caused by the addition of mineral adsorbents to feeds to reduce mycotoxin exposure

Abstract

The contamination of feed with mycotoxins is a continuing feed quality and safety issue, leading to significant losses in livestock production and potential human health risks. Consequently, various methods have been developed to reduce the occurrence of mycotoxins in feed; however, feed supplementation with clay minerals or mineral adsorbents is the most prominent approach widely practiced by farmers and the feed industry. Due to a negatively charged and high surface area, pore volume, swelling ability, and high cation exchange capacity, mineral adsorbents including bentonite, zeolite, montmorillonite, and hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate can bind or adsorb mycotoxins to their interlayer spaces, external surface, and edges. Several studies have shown these substances to be partly or fully effective in counteracting toxic effects of mycotoxins in farm animals fed contaminated diets and thus are extensively used in livestock production to reduce the risk of mycotoxin exposure. Nevertheless, a considerable number of studies have indicated that these agents may also cause undesirable effects in farm animals. The current work aims to review published reports regarding adverse effects that may arise in farm animals (with a focus on pig and poultry) and potential interaction with veterinary substances and nutrients in feeds, when mineral adsorbents are utilized as a technological feed additive. Furthermore, results of in vitro toxicity studies of both natural and modified mineral adsorbents on different cell lines are reported. Supplementation of mycotoxin-contaminated feed with mineral adsorbents must be carefully considered by farmers and feed industry.

Comparative In Vitro Assessment of a Range of Commercial Feed Additives with Multiple Mycotoxin Binding Claims

“…Modified adsorbents are prepared by alteration of surface properties such as cation exchange capacity using acids, alkalis, organic compounds and heat, that consequently increase their contaminant removal capacity and efficacy [44]. Nevertheless, their safety and interaction with nutrients and veterinary substances remain a concern [45].…”

Low Doses of Mycotoxin Mixtures below EU Regulatory Limits Can Negatively Affect the Performance of Broiler Chickens: A Longitudinal Study

“…Inorganic (clay minerals), organic (yeast cell wall and glucomannan) feed additives as well as microorganisms and enzymes are added to feed, with the sole aim of binding, inactivating or detoxifying mycotoxins, to reduce their bioavailability in farm animals [62]. Nevertheless, recently, Elliott et al [63] showed that some of these substances, particularly clay minerals, may cause a wide range of negative health effects in farm animals, including an interaction with micronutrients and veterinary substances. Moreover, other researchers have reported inefficiencies of most commercial binders or detoxifiers, as well as their affinity for only a single mycotoxin [64,65].…”

Assessment of Food By-Products’ Potential for Simultaneous Binding of Aflatoxin B1 and Zearalenone

“…Accordingly, not to disregard the potential negative effects, grape seeds and seabuckthorn have been ascribed to possess beneficial properties in both humans and animals [ 14 , 15 , 52 , 53 ]. Moreover, while it is generally assumed that the involved mechanism is physisorption [ 54 , 55 ], the adsorption process is also influenced by the chemical properties and interactions between the adsorbents and mycotoxins [ 54 , 56 ]. Similar studies reported the importance of surface conformation and chemical composition in relation to the interactions between adsorbent functional groups and mycotoxin molecules under acidic conditions [ 27 , 33 , 56 ].…”