Harmful Effects and Control Strategies of Aflatoxin B₁ Produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus Strains on Poultry: Review

Abstract

The presence of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) in poultry diets decreases the hatchability, hatchling weight, growth rate, meat and egg production, meat and egg quality, vaccination efficiency, as well as impairing the feed conversion ratio and increasing the susceptibility of birds to disease and mortality. AFB₁ is transferred from poultry feed to eggs, meat, and other edible parts, representing a threat to the health of consumers because AFB₁ is carcinogenic and implicated in human liver cancer. This review considers how AFB₁ produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus strains can affect the immune system, antioxidant defense system, digestive system, and reproductive system in poultry, as well as its effects on productivity and reproductive performance. Nutritional factors can offset the effects of AFB₁ in poultry and, thus, it is necessary to identify and select suitable additives to address the problems caused by AFB₁ in poultry.

Keywords: aflatoxin B1; immunity; nutritional factor; productivity.

Figure 1

Impacts of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) on poultry organs functions, productivity, and consumer health, and nutritional factors that might mitigate these impacts. The presence of AFB₁ in the diet of poultry leads to body organs with abnormal sizes, stimulates the production of cytochrome P450 isoenzymes to convert AFB₁ into AFB₁-8,9-expoxide (AFBO; as the more toxic form of AFB₁), oxidative damage, and organ malfunctions, which led to low productivity, decreased reproductive performance, high susceptibility to diseases, and the accumulation of AFB₁ in eggs and meat, which can be harmful to the health of consumers. Adding inorganic AFB₁ binders can bind AFB₁ and reducing the accumulation of AFB₁ in eggs and meat according to their efficiency. Organic AFB₁ binders, such as probiotics, can bind or absorb AFB₁ to decrease the conversion of AFB₁ into AFBO by suppressing cytochrome P450 isoenzymes, as well as alleviating oxidative damage to organs and reducing the accumulation of AFB₁ in eggs and meat. The addition of antioxidants, such as selenium and curcumin, can decrease the conversion of AFB₁ into AFBO by suppressing cytochrome P450 isoenzymes and alleviate oxidative damage to organs.