Occurrence of

Mycotoxins in Feed
Samples from Asia

Dr.Kedar Karki
different geographical
regions within Asia-Pacific.

                                              
from (a) Oct 2003 to Sep
2005 and (b) Oct 2005 to
Sep 2006
a) Period from Oct 2003 to Sep 2005 (b) Period from Oct 2005 to Sep 2006
North Asia (includes China,
Japan, Taiwan and Korea)

North Asia Aflatoxin ZON DON FUM T2 OTA

No. of Tests 414 414 414 324 387 111

No. Positive 23 228 310 188 3 31

Percent Positive (%) 6% 55% 75% 58% 1% 28%

Median (µg/kg) <4 46 234 158 <125 <2

Average (µg/kg) 51 592 731 1,579 299 15

Maximum (µg/kg) 494 14,105 10,374 14,714 399 82

Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Thailand and
Vietnam

South East Asia Aflatoxin ZON DON FUM T2 OTA

No. of Tests 220 222 220 203 205 34

No. Positive 88 51 42 92 0 3

Percent Positive (%) 40% 23% 19% 45% 0 9%

Median (µg/kg) <4 <32 <50 <100 <125 <2

Average (µg/kg) 37 164 661 683 ND 5

Maximum (µg/kg) 306 762 3,908 2,038 ND 8

South Asia (mainly India)

South Asia Aflatoxin ZON DON FUM T2 OTA

No. of Tests 31 31 31 28 27 7

No. Positive 17 6 1 8 0 4

Percent Positive (%) 55% 19% 3% 29% 0 57%

Median (µg/kg) 15 <32 <50 <100 <125 2

Average (µg/kg) 39 305 57 202 ND 4

Maximum (µg/kg) 139 1,182 57 334 ND 10

Oceania (mainly Australia)

Oceania Aflatoxin ZON DON FUM T2 OTA

No. of Tests 62 62 62 62 29 2

No. Positive 2 9 10 5 0 0

Percent Positive (%) 3% 15% 16% 8% 0 0

Median (µg/kg) <4 <32 <50 <100 <125 <2

Average (µg/kg) 4 211 224 218 ND ND

Maximum (µg/kg) 4 758 494 305 ND ND

North Asia:


Occurrence of mycotoxins in samples received from North Asia
was 6%, 55% 75% 58% and 28% for aflatoxins, zearalenone,
deoxynivalenol, fumonisin B1 and ochratoxin A respectively. T2-
toxin was found in less than 1% of the total sample population.
For aflatoxin, the highest level detected was 494 ppb in a corn
sample from China. DON was prevalent in this region (75%) and
the highest level detected was in a DDGS sample from China with
10,374 µg/kg. ZON and Fum, on the other hand, were found in
55% and 58% of the samples respectively. Highest level of ZON
found was 14,105 µg/kg in a corn gluten meal sample from China.
For fumonisin B1, it was 14,714 µg/kg in a corn sample also from
China. Ochratoxin A was detected in 28% of the samples; 82
µg/kg in a soybean meal sample from China was the maximum
level analyzed.
South-East Asia:

 The prevalence of mycotoxin

contamination in South-East Asia is in the
order as follows; fumonisin (45%),
aflatoxin (40%), zearalenone (23%),
deoxynivalenol (19%) and ochratoxin
(9%).T-2 toxin was not detected in the
current analysis.
South Asia:


Although the number of samples analyzed from
this region was comparatively smaller (total 31),
prevalence of aflatoxin (55%) was evident.
Occurrence of ZON and Fum were observed at
19% and 29% respectively. OTA though was
found in 57% of the samples, the levels detected
were not high (maximum of 10 µg/kg). DON was
found in less than 1% of the samples and T-2
toxin was not detected in any of the samples
analyzed.
Oceania:

 More than half of the samples analyzed

were straws/hay. The prevalence of
mycotoxins from this region was DON
(16%), ZON (15%), Fum (8%) and
aflatoxins (3%). OTA and T-2 toxin were
not detected in these samples.
mycotoxins in the feed
samples according to the
commodity type.
Corn

Corn Aflatoxin ZON DON FUM T2 OTA

No. of Tests 177 177 177 173 167 51

No. Positive 36 83 128 140 0 9

Percent Positive (%) 20% 47% 72% 81% 0 18%

Median (µg/kg) <4 <32 307 557 <125 <2

Average (µg/kg) 72 404 862 1,716 ND 11

Maximum (µg/kg) 494 3,510 5,270 14,714 ND 44

Soybean Meal

Soybean Meal Aflatoxin ZON DON FUM T2 OTA

No. of Tests 80 80 80 79 77 20

No. Positive 1 21 8 6 1 6

Percent Positive (%) 1% 26% 10% 8 1% 30%

Median (µg/kg) <4 <32 <50 <100 <125 <2

Average (µg/kg) 5 273 278 180 133 19

Maximum (µg/kg) 5 1,078 489 265 133 82

Wheat / bran

Wheat/bran Aflatoxin ZON DON FUM T2 OTA

No. of Tests 42 42 42 39 42 14

No. Positive 0 11 33 0 0 8

Percent Positive (%) 0 26% 79% 0 0 57%

Median (µg/kg) <4 <32 234 <100 <125 3

Average (µg/kg) ND 223 505 ND ND 8

Maximum (µg/kg) ND 1,835 3,908 ND ND 23

Corn Gluten Meal

Corn Gluten Meal Aflatoxin ZON DON FUM T2 OTA

No. of Tests 19 19 19 18 19 1

No. Positive 3 17 6 9 0 0

Percent Positive (%) 16% 89% 32% 50% 0 0

Median (µg/kg) <4 368 <50 81 <125 <2

Average (µg/kg) 37 2,082 1,890 2,285 ND ND

Maximum (µg/kg) 82 14,105 10,259 12,027 ND ND

Rice / bran

Rice/bran Aflatoxin ZON DON FUM T2 OTA

No. of Tests 16 16 16 16 13 1

No. Positive 4 4 0 1 0 0

Percent Positive (%) 25% 25% 0 6% 0 0

Median (µg/kg) <4 <32 <50 <100 <125 <2

Average (µg/kg) 19 50 ND 278 ND ND

Maximum (µg/kg) 37 56 ND 278 ND ND

Straw / Hay
Straw/Silage Aflatoxin ZON DON FUM T2 OTA

No. of Tests 47 47 47 44 31 1

No. Positive 0 13 22 2 0 0

Percent Positive (%) 0 28% 47% 5% 0 0

Median (µg/kg) <4 <32 <50 149 <125 <2

Average (µg/kg) ND 170 352 301 ND ND

Maximum (µg/kg) ND 758 1,484 305 ND ND

Prevalence of mycotoxins
in different commodities
Summary:

Highest
Average of
Sample Percent Level Country of
Mycotoxin Positive Commodity found
Size Positive Detected Origin
(µg/kg)
(µg/kg)

AflatoxinsTotal 792 16% 39 494 Corn China

Zearalenone 795 38% 487 14,105 Corn Gluten Meal China

Deoxynivalenol 792 48% 681 10,374 DDGS China

Fumonisin B1 678 46% 1,224 14,714 Corn China

T-2 toxin 711 <1% 299 399 Finished Feed China

Ochratoxin A 172 24% 13 82 Soybean Meal China

Summary:

 Interestingly, from the cumulative data we have

seen, there were certain degree of association
between some mycotoxins and specific
commodity types. For instance, in corn, 81%
were found to be contaminated with Fum B1; for
wheat/bran, DON was found in 79% of the
samples; for corn gluten meal ,ZON accounted
for more than 88% of the contamination.