Title: Incidence of mycobiota and aflatoxin B1 in Algerian feed

Authors: Karima Bouti; Nouara Ait Mimoune; Salim Mokrane; Nadjette Djemouai; Carol Verheecke-Vaessen; Florence Mathieu; Amar Riba

Addresses: Laboratoire de Biologie des Systèmes Microbiens, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Kouba, Algiers, Algeria ' Laboratoire de Biologie des Systèmes Microbiens, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Kouba, Algiers, Algeria; Département de Biologie, Université Akli Mohand Oulhadj, Bouira, Algeria ' Laboratoire de Biologie des Systèmes Microbiens, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Kouba, Algiers, Algeria ' Laboratoire de Biologie des Systèmes Microbiens, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Kouba, Algiers, Algeria; Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie et Sciences de la Terre, Université de Ghardaia, BP 455, Ghardaïa 47000, Algeria ' Applied Mycology Group, Environment and AgriFood Theme, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Beds, MK43 0AL, UK; Laboratoire de Génie Chimique, CNRS, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France ' Laboratoire de Génie Chimique, CNRS, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France ' Laboratoire de Biologie des Systèmes Microbiens, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Kouba, Algiers, Algeria; Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université M'Hamed Bougara, Boumerdès, Algeria

Abstract: The presence of fungi and aflatoxin B1 (AFB₁) in 101 animal feed samples randomly collected from different vendors and factories in Algeria was investigated. For fungi, the main genera isolated were Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium. Furthermore, the 459 strains of Aspergillus section Flavi were screened for their ability to produce aflatoxins and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA). 49% of the strains produced AFB₁ while 74.5% were cyclopiazonic acid producers. The highest incidence of aflatoxigenic strains was recorded in maize (61%) and ground poultry feed (60%). The presence of AFB₁ in 101 feed samples was evaluated using HPLC-FLD. The obtained data showed that 36.6% of samples were contaminated in the range of 0.34 to 171.06 μg/kg. Six samples exceeded the Algerian maximum limit of 20 μg/kg for AFB₁. This study highlights the potential presence of aflatoxigenic strains belonging to section Flavi and AFB₁ in animal feed in Algeria, strategic information for the Algerian policymakers.

Keywords: animal feed; fungi; Aspergillus section Flavi; Algeria.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPTI.2022.121772

International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, 2022 Vol.8 No.2/3, pp.125 - 144

Received: 06 May 2020
Accepted: 15 Jul 2020
Published online: 07 Apr 2022 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article