Applied Research Note: Biomonitoring of mycotoxins in blood serum and feed to assess exposure of broiler chickens

Because European maximum guidance values of mycotoxins are only available for feed, mycotoxin exposure in animals is mainly monitored by feed analysis. However, proper sample collection needed to ensure reliable results because uneven distributions and disproportional spread which can hamper the evaluation animals. A cross-sectional study was performed on 40 randomly selected broiler farms Belgium. During a farm visit at animal's age 28 d, pooled beginning end line collected. Feed samples were analyzed validated multimycotoxin LC-MS/MS method. Moreover, serum collected from 10 chickens per farm. Serum concentrations major vivo phase I metabolites quantitatively, whereas presence II determined qualitative approach an UPLC-HRMS Deoxynivalenol (DON) most frequently occurring mycotoxin, being present 74% samples, with average concentration 270 ± 171 ?g/kg 751 positive samples. Also acetylated forms 3- 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3 15ADON) half however, lower (8 3 ?g 3ADON 7 15ADON/kg). Only 17.5% farms, DON detected mean standard deviation (SD) 11 19 ng/mL. The 49 ng DON/mL broilers fed diet that contaminated 191 DON/kg, ?g/kg. Besides, 15ADON 10% (max. 1.3 ng/mL). Sulfate conjugates few Qualitative screening other showed similar results. Overall, correlations between all lacking (R2 = 0.18 DON).