Carryover of aflatoxins from feed to lambari fish ( Astyanax altiparanae ) tissues.

The aim of this study was to verify the carryover of aflatoxin B₁ from feed to lambari fish. Aflatoxins (AF) were incorporated into feed, checking the levels by HPLC. Treatments were: Control, feed without toxin; A, feed + 10 µg AFB₁ kg^–1; B, feed + 20 µg AFB₁ kg^–1; and C, feed + 50 µg AFB₁ kg^–1. Juveniles of lambari fish were placed in 12 aquariums at a density of 50 fish/m². Fish were fed twice a day with extruded feed, at 5% of animal biomass. The unit sample was constituted by a pool of 10 fish. AFs B₁, B₂, G₁, G₂ and M₁ were quantified by HPLC in fish muscle and liver after 30, 60, 90 and 120 days of experiment. There was accumulation of AFs is fish liver and muscle, mainly after 90 days. Fish from treatment C had higher levels of AFB₁ in muscle when compared with the others, and AFB₁ in muscle at 120 days was similar to the levels in feed. Therefore, when lambari fish is exposed on a daily and long-term basis to AFs in feed, the regulation limits for AFs in animal feed do not guarantee safety for consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]