Understanding and Combating Mycotoxins for Sustainable Poultry Production

Authors: Shanmugasundaram, Revathi

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/28/2024
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: N/A

Technical Abstract: Mycotoxins pose a significant threat to poultry health as they contaminate both pre- and post-harvest crops. The co-occurrence of multiple mycotoxins decreases individual tolerance levels, even at subclinical levels, which can be considered to increase the pathology of individual mycotoxins in poultry. Mycotoxin interactions within the animal system are mainly additive in nature, but depending on the endpoint assessment, these interactions can even be synergistic or antagonistic. The ultimate goal of achieving sustainable poultry production is to reduce the mycotoxin load in feed and its impact on downstream poultry food safety. This symposium will focus on understanding the complex interactions among mycotoxins, notably fumonisins, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, and aflatoxin, and their cumulative effects on poultry health. The co-occurrence of multiple mycotoxins in poultry feed ingredients exacerbates their effects on each other and impacts chicken production performance and health, necessitating a reevaluation of current mitigation strategies. Key discussions will include the cascading effects of feed safety and mycotoxin interactions impacting poultry health, including intestinal epithelial barrier function, immunosuppression, and gut microbiome composition, leading to necrotic enteritis and foodborne pathogen contamination. The lowest combined levels of fumonisins and deoxynivalenol that predispose broiler birds to various pathogenic infections and foodborne pathogen contamination will be discussed. Challenges faced by the poultry industry, such as the limited efficacy of traditional mycotoxin binders against fumonisins and deoxynivalenol, will be discussed. The urgent need for real-time biomarkers to detect subclinical mycotoxicosis will be emphasized. Additionally, potential intervention strategies, including probiotics, mycotoxin deactivating enzymes, and mycotoxin binders, will be discussed to mitigate mycotoxin impacts in poultry.