Fumonisin B−Glucose Reaction Products Are Less Toxic When Fed to Swine

The effects of fumonisin B−glucose reaction products in swine diets was examined. Pigs were fed diets containing 528 μmol of total fumonisin B/kg (FB), 528 μmol of total FB−glucose adducts/kg (FB-G, 122 μmol of unreacted FB/kg), or 0 μmol of total FB/kg for 15 days to test the efficacy of the FB-G reaction products in detoxifying FB. Weight gain in FB pigs was lower than in FB-G or controls, which was correlated with feed intake reduction in FB pigs. Serum aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyltransferase, and total bilirubin in FB pigs were higher than in FB-G or control pigs. Serum sphinganine/shingosine ratios in FB pigs were higher than in FB-G or control pigs. Microscopic examination of tissues from FB pigs showed generalized liver necrosis and apoptosis with marked cellular pleomorphism and disorganized hepatic cords. The liver and kidneys in the FB-G group appeared to be normal. Tissues of controls were free of lesions. Results suggest that dietary FB-G products are less toxic to swine and may provide an detoxification approach in instances of widespread FB grain contamination (p < 0.05). Keywords: Fumonisin B; fumonisin B−glucose; detoxification; swine