High aflatoxin levels found in bird feed
Wild bird feed was found to be the most contaminated with mycotoxins among different types of pet foods in several surveys.
The researchers found that up to 25% of the wild bird feed samples were
contaminated with more than 100 micrograms of aflatoxin, which presents a
potential health threat to the birds. The high levels of aflatoxins and
other mycotoxins found in the bird seed is possibly due to the use of corn,
nuts, and seeds as significant ingredients, according to the
researchers.
The US Food and Drug Administration and its
counterpart in Canada have set a limit of 20 micrograms per kilogram for
aflatoxin in pet food.
The full study appears in the Dec. 27 issue of
the Journal of Agricultural and Food
Chemistry.
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