AFLATOXINS AND AFLATOXIGENIC FUNGI OCCURRENCE IN ANIMAL AND POULTRY FEED OF ASSIUT GOVERNORATE FARMS, EGYPT

Sixty representative pelleted animal and poultry feed samples were collected from Assiut governorate farms for aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, and G2) analysis by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) in the EGAC-accredited central lab. of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, as well as for their aflatoxigenic fungi prevalence assessment. TLC results showed that 35% of the analyzed feed samples were positive for AFs. UPLC results showed that means ± SE of AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2 and total AFs were 23.36±13.12, 2.88±1.07, 1.33±0.64, 0.52±0.25 and 28.08±13.98 μg kg-1 in animal feed and 34.88±25.18, 2.55±0.78, 1.80±1.51, 1.30±0.52 and 40.83±25.59 μg kg-1 in poultry feed, respectively. The prevalence of aflatoxins was 70% and 100% in animal feed and poultry feed samples, respectively. Aspergillus flavus isolates from the analyzed feed samples showed different degrees of aflatoxigenic ability on coconut agar medium, and the poultry feed samples were more contaminated with AFs and aflatoxigenic fungi than animal feed samples. Key words: Aflatoxins; animal feed; poultry feed; TLC; UPLC