Animal feed in North and Central America, South Asia, China and Taiwan are the most contaminated with mycotoxins, which can lead to various health issues in animals when ingested, dsm-firmenich’s annual World Mycotoxin Survey has revealed. 

Feed contaminants like deoxynivalenol, fumonisins and zearalenone were found to be the most frequently occurring.

The company analyzed 17,675 samples from 91 countries between January and September this year.

Mycotoxins are toxins produced by certain fungi that contaminate feed raw materials in the field and during storage. When ingested by animals, mycotoxins can have various adverse effects, such as impaired reproduction, digestive issues, carcinogenicity and reduced performance.

Ursula Hofstetter, head of Mycotoxin Risk Management at dsm-firmenich, says: “The persistent presence of mycotoxins continues to pose a threat to animal welfare, productivity and sustainability in agriculture.”

“These results once again underscore the critical need for effective mycotoxin management strategies. Implementing such strategies is crucial for maintaining the profitability of both the feed industry and animal protein production sectors.”

Animal health and performance

The survey highlights prevalence levels for each mycotoxin in each region and risks associated with it at the global and local stages. It also mentions the risks of each species, including pigs, chickens, cows and shrimp.

The ingredient giant notes that analyzing single mycotoxins can lead to underreporting of the damage caused to animal health and performance.

The survey uses Spectrum 380, a mycotoxin detection method developed and conducted by the mycotoxin research lab at the Department of Agrobiotechnology at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Austria.

dsm-firmenich also tested a range of key by-products and alternative feed components. Key findings suggest high contamination levels in coconut and peanut samples from Asia. Beans reflected high zearalenone contamination in Asia and Europe.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands-headquartered company completed the sale of its yeast extract business to fermentation company Lesaffre last month.

As part of the new transaction, Lesaffre will supply yeast extracts to dsm-firmenich for its savory business.