Aflatoxins are toxic metabolites produced by the fungus species Aspergilli. Crops contaminated with these mycotoxins pose a carcinogenic threat to livestock and humans when consumed. The presence of aflatoxins in grains has been shown to decrease by using silicates as binding agents. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limits the percentage of binding agent that can be used in foodstuff and feed thus necessitating the discovery of optimal percentages of grain versus binder. Once the grain/binder mixture has been digested, the pH environment of the gut can alter the silicate's binding activity and, in many instances, neutralize its binding ability and releases aflatoxins from the silicates entering the blood stream. A binding study of Alltech� binder 290293 and Sigma� Distillers Grain and Solubles was performed which found an optimal Aflatoxin binding percentage of 72.51 % utilizing a 2 % binder versus grain mixture that is permissible in feed by the FDA. Furthermore, a pH study was conducted and determined that at lower pH, the silicate binder investigated loses some of its ability to bind aflatoxin.

Optimization of mycotoxin binding in grains

242nd National Meeting (2011)

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