Mycotoxin Contamination Levels in Broiler Feeds and Aflatoxin Residues in Broiler Tissues

The need for regulations to limit the concentration of mycotoxins in feed and food requires the availability of data on levels of contamination in different feedstuffs and estimation of the mycotoxin residues in animal meat. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine contamination levels with different mycotoxins in broiler feed and aflatoxin residues in broilers' muscle and liver. A total of 194 feed samples, including 148 compound feeds and 46 feed ingredients, were collected from feed manufacturing companies and broiler farms. Feed samples were analyzed for detecting aflatoxins, ochratoxins, zearalenone, and fumonisins using an official analytical method. Moreover, aflatoxin residues were estimated in 64 broiler's muscle and liver tissues. Obtained results revealed that 100% of compound broiler feed sampled from manufacturing companies were contaminated with aflatoxin and ochratoxin. Also, 96.4% and 92.8% of compound broiler feed sampled from broiler farms were contaminated with aflatoxin and ochratoxin, respectively. Furthermore, 30.6% and 91% of the feed samples were above the permissible levels of aflatoxin and ochratoxin. Aflatoxin residues were detected in all meat and liver samples with levels above the permissible limits. Large scale surveys for determination of different mycotoxins in poultry feed and mycotoxins residues in poultry products are of national and international importance.