Advances and Criticisms on the Use of Mycotoxin Detoxifying Agents

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by a wide array of diverse fungal species, mostly belonging to the three genera Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium. All species of livestock are affected by mycotoxins, being the monogastrics (swine, horses) the most sensitive, followed by poultry and ruminants. Controlling mould growth and mycotoxin production is very important to feed manufacturer and livestock producer. A variety of decontamination/detoxification methods show potential for commercial application. However, large-scale, practical, and costs-effective methods for a complete mycotoxin decontamination are currently not available. No single decontamination method that is equally effective against the variety of naturally occurring mycotoxins has been developed. The use of feed additives that reduce the exposure of the animals to these mycotoxins are regarded as a way to improve animal welfare. These additives are defined as substances (e.g. clay mineral, enzyme, micro-organism, yeast cell wall) that are mixed into feed and then adsorb or denature (biologically detoxify) mycotoxins in the digestive tract of animals. This chapter will present an overview on advances and criticisms regarding the use of mycotoxin-detoxifying agents, focusing on adsorbent materials for mycotoxin removal from feedstocks.