Review of mycotoxin-detoxifying agents used as feed additives: mode of action, efficacy and feed/food safety
Meta data
The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as authors. In accordance with Article 36 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, this task has been carried out exclusively by the authors in the context of a grant agreement between the European Food Safety Authority and the authors. The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the European Food Safety Authority is subject. It may not be considered as an output adopted by EFSA. EFSA reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors.
Abstract
Mycotoxins are small and quite stable molecules which are extremely difficult to remove or eradicate, and which enter the feed chain while keeping their toxic properties. The mycotoxins of major concern as feed contaminants that are potentially removable from feed, are mainly aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, Fusarium toxins (trichothecenes like deoxynivalenol, diacetoxyscirpenol, nivalenol, T2-toxin/HT2-toxin, zearalenone and fumonisins). One of the strategies for reducing the exposure to mycotoxins is to decrease their bioavailability by including various mycotoxin-adsorbing agents in the compound feed, which leads to a reduction of mycotoxin uptake as well as distribution to the blood and target organs. Another strategy is the degradation of mycotoxins into non-toxic metabolites by using biotransforming agents such as bacteria/fungi or enzymes. The specific objectives of the project are to provide a critical and extensive review on mycotoxins detoxifying agents.
To this purpose, the consortium performed:
- The compilation and critical analysis of all published data available in the scientific literature ;
- The compilation and critical analysis of "grey literature" published worldwide (searches in patents databases) ;
- The audition of companies involved in the development and manufacture of mycotoxin-detoxifying agents, as well as stakeholders of feed manufacturer's;
- Comparison, validation and synthesis of the reviewed materials.