Natural co-occurrence of aflatoxins and deoxynivalenol in poultry feed in Pakistan

Two hundred and fifteen broiler poultry feed samples were analysed over the time period of one year for the co-occurrence of aflatoxins and deoxynivalenol (DON). These were determined by GC-MS and ELISA, respectively. LOD values for aflatoxins and DON were 0.5 and 5 mu g/kg, respectively. From all investigated 215 poultry feed samples, aflatoxins and DON co-occurred in 100 samples (46%). DON was detected in 114 samples while 100 samples also were positive for aflatoxins. Mean concentrations of positive samples for aflatoxins and DON were 18 and 807 mu g/kg, respectively. Twenty-one DON-positive and 42 aflatoxin positive samples were contaminated above the EU maximum legal limits of 1000 mu g/kg and 20 mu g/kg, respectively. The present study provided useful data on aflatoxin and DON contamination, which may be helpful for future strategies to control contamination and to formulate standards in poultry feeds.