Survey reveals the prevalence of mycotoxins in livestock and aquatic animal feeds

dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition & Health collected and analyzed samples from 95 countries

Swiss-Dutch animal nutrition firm dsm-firmenich’s annual World Mycotoxin Survey reveals that mycotoxin contamination in animal feeds is most commonly detected in North and Central America, South Asia, China and Taiwan.

Mycotoxins, naturally produced by fungi that can contaminate feed raw materials in the field and storage, are detrimental to the health of animals. Each year since 2004, dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition & Health analyzes thousands of feed samples from around the world to understand and monitor contamination levels of the different mycotoxins in a variety of feed ingredients.

In 2023, the firm collected and analyzed 23,808 samples from 95 countries and found that the Fusarium mycotoxins fumonisins, deoxynivalenol and zearalenone are the most frequently found.

‘With aquaculture becoming one of the fastest-growing protein sectors, the quest for sustainable alternatives to fishmeal intensifies. This shift to novel ingredients, particularly plant proteins, raises concerns about mycotoxin contamination,” said Benedict Standen, global head of aquaculture marketing at dsm-firmenich.

“Mycotoxins negatively impact the immune system, weakening the animal and increasing your health costs,” Standen added. “In a year marked by record-high sea surface temperatures, aquatic animals cannot regulate their own body temperature, this is highly likely to cause additional stress to our animals necessitating proactive mycotoxin risk management.”

@GSA_Advocate