Efficacy evaluation of a fermented milk containing inactivated biomasses of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae to ameliorate the toxic effects of dietary aflatoxins and fumonisins in pigs: a pilot study

Abstract Inactivated microorganisms may reduce mycotoxins’ bioavailability, although in vivo evidence is limited especially in farm animals. This pilot study evaluated whether a fermented milk (FM) containing heat-inactivated biomasses of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae at 1% ( w/w ) mitigated the toxic effects of dietary aflatoxins (AFs) and fumonisins (FBs) in weaned piglets. Twenty-four male crossbred piglets were assigned to a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design ( n = 3 per group) with AFs (0; 1.11–1.28 mg/kg, sum of AFB 1 , AFB 2 , AFG 1 and AFG 2 ), FBs (0.78–0.99; 9.22–9.53 mg/kg, sum of FB 1 and FB 2 ), and FM (0; 39 g/animal/day, equivalent to 5% of basal diet) for 28 days. AFs reduced ( P < 0.05) the body weight gain and feed consumption. AFs or AFs + FBs exposure were associated with hepatic lesions, whereas FBs caused increased pulmonary and renal lesions ( P < 0.05). FM was associated with lower ( P < 0.05) scores of FBs’ lung lesions and AFs + FBs’ kidney lesions, but did not consistently improve growth performance or hepatic and renal biochemical parameters. Plasma AFP 1 and urinary FB 2 were lower ( P < 0.05) in AFs- or FBs-exposed animals receiving FM, while plasma and urinary AFM 1 or FB 1 were not reduced by the FM. In conclusion, FM containing inactivated L. rhamnosus and S. cerevisiae had partial protective effects against organ-specific mycotoxin injury, with limited evidence of AFs bioavailability reduction, considering n = 3 per experimental group. Further studies should evaluate different inclusion levels of microorganisms and mycotoxins, as well as other potentially adsorptive microorganisms, with a focus on microorganism–mycotoxin interactions within the gastrointestinal tract.