TOXO-MX

Effects of Aflatoxins on animal health status

Aflatoxins can occur on crops during the growing season, but also during storage, especially with moisture contents above 12% and temperatures higher than 21ºC. The four main Aflatoxins are B1, B2, G1 and G2, with Aflatoxin B1 being the most frequent. All animals are sensitive to Aflatoxins, but their susceptibility varies between species and ages; young animals are more affected than adult animals.

Low levels of Aflatoxins in feeds can cause poor growth and interfere with the immune system. In dairy cows Aflatoxin B1 is metabolized into M1, which pose a risk to human health in case of contaminated milk consumption. Since the late 70’s it has been known that certain clay minerals bind Aflatoxins. Smectite clays have the best binding efficacy, due to their specific composition and structure. The interlayers of the smectite clays bind the Aflatoxins through a process called chemisorption; this helps the animal to maintain a healthy status of the intestinal tract.

Binding efficacy

The binding efficacy of TOXO-MX has been tested in several assays by specialised and independent external laboratories. To mimic the conditions in the gastrointestinal tract, the binding capacity was determined at different pH levels. The studies demonstrated a minimal AFB1 binding efficiency of 98%.