Researchers review the basic science and explain practical methods of using smectite to absorb small amounts of aflatoxin, which is produced by mold on corn, peanuts, and other grains and grain products used for animal feed. The topics include methods of analysis used in selecting smectite adsorbents, interactions of aflatoxin B1 with smectites, remediating aflatoxicosis in poultry with bentonite clay, and impacts of aflatoxins on swine nutrition and possible measures of amelioration. The information could be useful to grain growers, feed producers, and livestock producers. Published by the American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Science Society of America. Annotation ©2014 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
"Aflatoxin contamination represents a serious threat to a healthy food supply. Resulting from mold on corn, peanuts, and other grains and grain products, aflatoxins are extremly toxic. Understanding the nature of fungi infection and the factors that favor aflatoxin formation is important to grain producers, dealers, and other professionals who control grain from the field to the site of consumption to prevent serious loss of large quantities of grain or grain products. Producers of poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs, and even pet food need to be aware of the threat of aflatoxin. Participants in the grain industry who grow, store, or process corn and other grains subject to potential infection by aflatoxin should be aware of the risks of fungal infection and aflatoxin contamination, and proper management strategies. The authors focus on the binding of aflatoxin in animal feeds by employing calcium smectite. Readers will be especially glad to know that aflatoxin can often be controlled with a natural mineral material to bind aflatoxin in animal feeds at a modest cost."
