Occurrence of <i>Fusarium</i> Species and Determination of Their Toxins From Poultry Feeds During Storage

Abstract

At a global scale, grains and poultry feeds are the primary sources of feed. Due to their considerable significance, any fungi capable of infecting these feedstuffs can pose a threat to both food safety and security. <i>Fusarium</i> spp. are a highly significant group of organisms. Fumonisins (FBs), deoxynivalenol (DON), trichothecene (T-2), and zearalenone (ZEN) are classifications of mycotoxins that are synthesized by <i>Fusarium</i> species. Their presence is associated with a range of factors that occur during growth, processing, and storage. We have recorded the high occurrence of <i>Fusarium</i> spp. in grains and poultry feeds in all tested samples. <i>Fusarium</i> (<i>F</i>) <i>oxysporum</i> was the most common species that appeared in all tested two hundred samples. FB1 was the predominant toxin that appeared with the highest concentration in 56 pellet samples with the range of 10.34-1043 <i>μ</i>g/kg. Also, it occurred with levels of 4.67-956 <i>μ</i>g/kg in the tested ingredients samples. <i>Fusarium verticillioides</i> isolates were the highest producers of FB1. <i>Fusarium</i> spp. isolates showed positive FB1 production with 84.6%, 82.5%, 82.2%, and 78.1%, isolated from pellet feed samples that were collected from Alhassa, Jeddah, Qassim, and Riyadh, respectively. 31.6%, 76.9%, 23.1%, 83.3%, and 88% of tested <i>Fusarium</i> spp. strains exhibited FB1 production in samples of barley, corn, sorghum, soybean, and wheat bran, respectively, with the range of 18-655 <i>μ</i>g/kg. Genes responsible for FB1, DON, T-2, and ZEN production were detected in the <i>Fusarium</i> spp. isolates.