The first step in reducing the risk of mycotoxin contamination in livestock feed is to prevent mold growth in the field, during harvest, and during storage. If unacceptably high levels of mycotoxins occur, removal or dilution of the contaminated feed is preferable; however, it is sometimes impossible to replace contaminated feeds. The addition of mycotoxin binders to contaminated feed has proven to be a very promising approach in reducing the effects of mycotoxins. The theory is that the adsorbent binds the mycotoxins in the feed strongly enough to prevent the adsorption across the digestive tract of the consuming animal. Potential adsorbent materials include activated charcoal, aluminosilicates (clay, bentonite, montmorillonite, zeolite, phyllosilicates, etc.), complex indigestible carbohydrates (cellulose, polysaccharides in the cell walls of yeast and bacteria), and synthetic polymers such as cholestyramine and polyvinylpyrrolidone and derivatives.
There are many in vitro methods for analysis of mycotoxin adsorbents, which include detection by thin layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). TLC is the least sensitive and
Here at Trilogy, we test mycotoxin binders using HPLC methodology. Determinations are performed in triplicate to determine how much of the toxin is bound to the adsorbent. Desorption is then calculated to determine how much of the toxin remains bound as it moves through the animal’s digestive tract. Learn more about mycotoxin binder analysis at Trilogy by visiting our website or viewing our whitepaper on the topic. If interested in setting up a mycotoxin binding study, please contact us.
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