Research on Mould and Aflatoxin Contamination Levels of Feeds Used in Trout Farms of Adana (Turkey)

Abstract

This research was conducted to analyze the mould counts and aflatoxin contamination levels of different types and sizes of feed used in trout farms of Adana. Totaly 33 different feeds supplied from 15 trout farms of Adana (Turkey) were analysed for moulds and aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2) between July-December 2010. To identify mould counts; the samples were incubated in the aerobic conditions at 25 ± 1 °C for five days by using Dichloran Rose Bengal Chloramphenicol Agar (DRBC). Aflatoxins were determined by using liquid-solid extraction and recoveries were obtained 70.00% to 112.20%. The precision of measured values of mould and aflatoxin analysis methods was calculated with the results of repeatability and reproducibility. The bias, expressing the accuracy value, varies between 4.312 and 12.909. Although moulds were found in 12 of 33 analysed samples (36.30%): aflatoxins were determined 8 out of 33 analysed samples (24.25%). Positive sample’s range were 3.08-4.86 log10 kob g-1 moulds and 0.21–0.90 g AFB1 kg-1 (ppb) of trout feeds. As a result, this research showed that none of the trout feeds used in trout farms of Adana has aflatoxins above Turkey legal limits.