Residues of ochratoxin A in different biological matrices of laying hens orally administrated ochratoxin A, esterified glucomannan and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

RESIDUES OF OCHRATOXIN A IN DIFFERENT BIOLOGICAL MATRICES OF LAYING HENS ORALLY ADMINISTERED OCHRATOXIN A, ESTERIFIED GLUCOMANNAN AND SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE L. Rizzi1, A. Zaghini2, A. Altafini2, M. Simioli1, P. Roncada2 1Dipartimento di Morfofisiologia Veterinaria e Produzioni Animali 2Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria e Patologia Animale Alma Mater Studiorum - Università degli Studi di Bologna - Italy paola.roncada@unibo.it (e-mail of the corresponding author) The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vivo ability of an esterified glucomannan (EGM), and of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) strain (inactivated by autoclave) to reduce the oral absorption of ochratoxin A (OTA) added to a basal diet for laying hens. Six experimental groups of Isa-Brown laying hens (21 birds/group) were daily administered 6 different diets: basal diet (0-0), diet supplemented with 0.2% EGM (EGM-0), with 0.2% SC (SC-0), with OTA 0.2 ppm (0-OTA), with 0.2% EGM+OTA 0.2 ppm (EGM-OTA), and with 0.2% SC+OTA 0.2 ppm (SC-OTA). After 12 weeks, birds were euthanized by cervical dislocation, and liver, muscle, and blood samples were collected for the determination of OTA levels by HPLC. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means compared using a Student’s t test. The observed OTA concentrations were low (the range was 2.00-0.31 ppb) and decreasing from liver to plasma. They did not change significantly in the 3 experimental groups administered with OTA. This lack of significant differences may be due to the low doses of OTA added to basal diet.