Monitoring Mycotoxin Exposure in Food-Producing Animals (Cattle, Pig, Poultry, and Sheep).

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Toxicology
• Food Safety
• Animal Production

Background:

• Mycotoxin exposure in food-producing animals impacts animal health, livestock economics, and human health via animal products.
• Effective control of mycotoxin exposure is essential for animal agriculture and public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the monitoring of mycotoxin exposure in food-producing animals from 2019-2023.
• To assess both external (feed analysis) and internal (biomarker) exposure methods.
• To identify commonly monitored mycotoxins and analytical techniques.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search for studies published between 2019 and 2023.
• Analysis of mycotoxins in 13,818 global feed samples.
• Review of studies on mycotoxin biomarkers in animal biological matrices (plasma, urine, feces).
• Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) identified as the primary analytical technique.

Main Results:

• Regulated and emerging mycotoxins were frequently detected in feed samples worldwide, often at low levels but sometimes exceeding limits.
• Co-occurrence of multiple mycotoxins in feed is common.
• Biomonitoring studies primarily focused on mycotoxin metabolism, with some biomarkers identified in pigs and poultry.

Conclusions:

• Mycotoxin exposure in food animals is a global concern, necessitating ongoing monitoring.
• LC-MS/MS is the standard for mycotoxin analysis in feed and biomonitoring.
• Further research is needed on diverse mycotoxins and animal species, including cattle and sheep, for comprehensive risk assessment.