On November 28^th, Biovet S.A. published the patent about the invention of the procedure to evaluate mycotoxins binding capacity in monogastrics and polygastrics. This patent is in the mycotoxin analytics field. The patented procedure pretends to mimic the route of feed through the digestive tract, including the different pH and the absorption system of the epithelium.

Mycotoxins are fungal metabolites that affect crops all over the world and can also contaminate cereals used for feed manufacture, which has a negative impact on livestock production.

Several systems are used in the industry for the control and elimination of mycotoxins, to avoid their absorbance by the animals and minimize their pathogenic effects and incidence on productive parameters. Each of these systems needs to be evaluated in a series of analysis to advise or decide which is the best for mycotoxins control.

Since 1977, several studies have been conducted on fixation and adsorption of mycotoxins. These evaluations showed the need to use a more accurate procedure to fight mycotoxins, based on evaluating the mycotoxin adsorption capacity, both in monogastrics and polygastrics. The invention, devised by Biovet S.A., patents a procedure through which this need is met.

MONOGASTRIC ANIMALS

Monogastric animals have a simple stomach, with an average storage capacity similar to the human’s. Monogastrics do not do pregastric fermentation, however, there are some exceptions: rabbits and horses do a postgastric fermentation, because they have a functional cecum, inside of which microorganisms are capable of efficiently digest fiber portions (cellulose and hemicellulose). Monogastric animals include omnivores, such as humans, rats and pigs; carnivores, such as dogs and cats; and herbivores, such as horses and rabbits.

POLYGASTRIC ANIMALS

Polygastrics, also called ruminants, are animals with a complex stomach anatomical structure, as it consists of 4 compartments. These compartments are: the reticulum, the rumen, the omasum and the abomasum. The first three are jointly called pre-stomachs and have a glandular mucosa (epithelium without the capacity to produce juices with digestive function). Lastly, the abomasum is the glandular stomach, equivalent to the monogastrics stomach.

STAGES OF THE PROCEDURE

The invention, patented by Biovet S.A.,  is about the procedure of the evaluation of mycotoxin adsorption capacity in monogastric an polygastric animals and has the following stages:

(a) disposal of a sample with mycotoxins on membranes composed of dextran and polyethylene gels;

(b) addition of pepsin to the sample

(c) addition, to one part of the sample, of the mycotoxin binder that want to be evaluated

(d) submission of the part of the sample with the mycotoxin binder to the different pH solutions, successively, and quantify the concentration of mycotoxins adsorbed by the mycotoxin binder after each solution;

(e) repetition of the stages a to c with the mycotoxins sample without the mycotoxin binder.

(d) with the other part of the sample, without mycotoxin binder;

(f) comparison of the adsorption results obtained from the samples with and without the mycotoxin binder.