Aflatoxin problems in poultry feed and its raw materials in Indonesia

Abstract

Contamination of atlatoxins in animal feeds is one of a major problem in the development of poultry industry in Indonesia. Atlatoxins may lead to losses in animal productivity, atlatoxicosis and residue in animal products. A series of investigation on atlatoxin contamination in animal feed in poultry had been carried out at Research Institute for Veterinary Science (Balitvet) between 1984 to 1995. It showed that more than 80 % of commercial chicken feeds were contaminated by atlatoxin B I (AFB I) within a wide range of concentration. Besides AFBI, other atlatoxins such as AFB2, AFG I and AFG2 were also found. The level of AFBI more than 200 ppb was found in 13.5 % out of 193 feed samples, whilst 23.3 % and 63.2 % of samples showed concentration 100-200 ppb and <100 ppb respectively. It had approved from the investigation that com was the most frequent foodstuff contaminated by atlatoxins compared.to other animal foodstuff. Most of com used for chicken feeds appeared to be the major source of atlatoxin contamination, where it could be indicated visually in bad or good kernel appearance. The levels of AFB 1 contamination seemed to be higher in the wet season (39.5 ppb) than in the dry season (19.5 ppb) as well as at the lower altitude (39.8 ppb) was higher than at the higher altitude (24.13 ppb). Based on this view, further studies are required to control of the atlatoxins problems in poultry feed in Indonesia.