Aflatoxin residues in tissues of healthy and sick broiler birds at market age in Pakistan: A one year study
Muhammad Zargham Khan*, Muhammad Raza Hameed,
Tasawar Hussain, Ahrar Khan, Ijaz Javed1, Ishtiaq Ahmad,
Alamdar Hussain and Muhammad Kashif Saleemi
Department of Pathology; 1Department
of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Science,
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan *Corresponding author: mzargham2000@yahoo.com
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the
levels of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and total aflatoxins (AF) in broiler meat at
market age. During one year period a total of 264 samples from 199 healthy and
65 sick flocks were collected.AFB1
residues in liver, kidneys and muscles of healthy birds were detected in 75.9,
44.7 and 21.6% samples, and the highest individual levels were 2.0, 0.99 and
0.49 ng/g, respectively. AFB1 residues in liver muscle and kidneys of sick birds
were detected in 89.2, 70.8 and 55.4% and the highest individual levels were
7.99, 3.99 and 1.99 ng/g, respectively. TheAFB1 residue level in 0.5% liver
samples of healthy birds were 2 ng/g whereas in sick birds 23.1 and 6.2% of
liver and kidneys had AFB1 residues above 2.0 ng/g.AFB1 levels in the muscles of both healthy and sick birds were below 2.0
ng/g. Among healthy birds none of the tissues had AF residue levels above 4 ng/g
whereas in sick birds, 24.6 and 7.7% liver and kidneys had AF residues above 4.0
ng/g.