Investigation of mycotoxin residues in poultry feeds by LC MS/MS method

In this study, it was aimed to determine the levels of mycotoxin contamination in poultry feeds in Konya, Afyonkarahisar, Aksaray and Nigde which constitutes 26.2% of the poultry production in Turkey. For this purpose a total of 73 ready-to-consume poultry feed samples from poultry farms in four provinces were collected. A general screening in feeds was performed in terms of mycotoxin presence and contamination levels. Samples were analyzed for aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, fumonisin and deoxynivalenol levels by LC-MS/MS multi-mycotoxin method. The levels of different mycotoxins in feeds obtained from poultry farms, the proportion of positive samples and the percentage of presence in the feeds were compared in terms of maximum residue limit (MRL). It was concluded that the feeds were found to be contaminated with low rates of mycotoxins, in terms of mycotoxin types and levels in the regions screened. However, the exceeded rates were found only 1% for aflatoxin B1 (≥ 5 ppb) in poultry feeds according to communique on undesirable substances in animal feed (RG 2014/11) while other mycotoxins were below the MRL.