Evaluation of aflatoxins in canine snacks: occurrence in meat strips and ingredients

• Grant number: 19/07567-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2019
• End date: January 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Andrezza Maria Fernandes
• Grantee: Juelison da Silva Moura
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Mycotoxins are compounds generated from the secondary metabolism of some fungi species and when present in ingredients and food intended for human and animal consumption can pose health risks. Aflatoxins make up the group of one of the main mycotoxins able to cause injury to human and animal health. Snacks for dogs such as meat strips are composed by ingredients susceptible to fungal contamination, such as cereal products and by-products of animal origin. The objective of this project is to evaluate the occurrence of aflatoxins in strips of meat for dogs, as well as their main ingredients. The methodology includes collecting samples of snacks and their ingredients monthly for a period of 10 months, adding up to 120 samples analyzed at the end of the experiment. Samples will be collected from five different formulations of meat strips, as well as their ingredients, including: rice bran, viscera meal, meat and bone meal, soy protein, wheat flour, chicken meat and beef or pork liver. The samples will be submitted to the evaluation of the water activity. Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 will then be detected and quantified using immunoafinity columns for the purification step. Aflatoxins will be determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Therefore, it is expected to know the level of contamination by aflatoxins in meat strips for dogs and its main ingredients, verifying if there is correlation among the results obtained.