Search

Background: Contamination is not surprising in light of the ubiquitous nature of the fungi that produce aflatoxin and ochratoxin A. The presence of these toxins in the broiler diet leads to increased losses, an increased feed conversion ratio, and decreased productivity., Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of the use of hydroalcoholic extracts of saffron petals, yeast cell walls and bentonite in the diets of broiler chickens contaminated with aflatoxin B 1 and ochratoxin A., Methods: In a completely randomised design, 350 one-day-old Ross 308 broilers were allocated into seven treatment groups and five replications: a negative control diet (without toxins or additives), a positive control diet (2.5 mg/kg aflatoxin + 2 mg/kg ochratoxin A (mg/kg) and diets containing toxins with a commercial toxin binder or yeast cell wall, processed bentonite or saffron petal extract alone or together., Results: Compared with those in the positive control treatment, the relative weights of the carcasses, breasts and drumsticks improved with the addition of toxic adsorbent compounds (p < 0.05). Compared with the control treatment, the inclusion of a toxin binder had a significant effect on the concentration of glucose (p < 0.05). The concentrations of alanine aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyltransferase enzymes in the yeast cell wall + processed bentonite + saffron petal extract treatment were lower than those in the other treatments (p < 0.05). Toxin adsorbent compounds significantly improved the morphology of the small intestine in chickens fed contaminated diets (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: The inclusion of toxic adsorbent compounds can reduce the negative effects caused by the presence of Aflatoxin B 1 and Ocratoxin A. Saffron petal extract can potentially be used to modulate diets contaminated with Aflatoxin B 1 and Ocratoxin A, which is best achieved with 750 mg/kg saffron petal extract along with 0.1% yeast cell wall extract and 1% processed bentonite., (© 2024 The Author(s). Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The purpose of this research was to examine the potential effects of bentonite (BN) supplemented diets on growth, feed utilization, blood biochemistry, and histomorphology of Dicentrarchus labrax. Six treatments in triplicate were tested: B0, B0.5, B1.0, B1.5, B3.0, and B4.5, which represented fish groups fed diets supplemented with 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 3, and 4.5% BN, respectively. For 84 days, juveniles' seabass (initial weight = 32.73 g) were fed diets containing 46% protein, three times daily at 3% of body weight. With a 5% daily water exchange, underground seawater (32 ppt) was used. Findings revealed significant improvements in water quality (TAN and NH3), growth (FW, WG and SGR) and feed utilization (FCR, PER and PPV) in fish fed BN-supplemented diets, with the best values in favor of the B1.5 group. Additional enhancements in kidney function indicators (urea and uric acid) and liver enzymes were observed in fish of the BN-treated groups along with a decrease in cholesterol level in the B1.5 group. Further improvements in fish innate immunity (hemoglobin, red blood cells, glucose, total protein, globulin, and immunoglobulin IgM), antioxidant activity (total antioxidative capacity and catalase), and decreased cortisol levels in fish of the BN-treated groups. Histological examinations of the anterior and posterior intestines and liver in groups B1.5 and B3 revealed the healthiest organs. This study recommends BN at a concentration of 1.5% as a feed additive in the Dicentrarchus labrax diet., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Novel bio-based nanocomposites were developed as carriers for loading and sustained-release of vanillin (Van.) and cinnamaldehyde (Cinn.) antioxidants. The composites were obtained by intercalation of chitosan (CS) into sodium montmorillonite (CS/Mt), incorporation of chitosan with polyaniline (CS/PANI) and chitosan/polyaniline/exfoliated montmorillonite (CS/PANI/Mt). The structure and morphology of composites were characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM and TEM. The release data of Van. and Cinn. from CS and CS/Mt obeyed well zero-order equation. However, Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas models fitted well the release data from CS/PANI and CS/Mt composites. Their antifungal activity was examined towards Fusarium oxysporum and Pythium debaryanum. In vitro assay, CS, Cinn., Van., CS/PANI and CS/PANI/Cinn., have a strong inhibitory effect on the linear growth of the target pathogens, even at lower concentrations. Greenhouse assay indicated that seedling treatment by the loaded CS/PANI/Cinn and CS/Mt/Cinn. reduced both disease index and disease incidence parameters of both pathogens and possessed seedlings growth promoting potential of tomato compared to untreated-infected controls., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)