Anti-Nutritional Factors and Aflatoxins

Anti-Nutritional Factors
• Definition: They are the defense mechanism of plants which lowers
the normal physiology of nutrients.
• There are 5 major types/ Classes of ANFs
1. Protease Inhibitors
2. Glucosides
3. Lectins
4. Phenols
5. Phytates
1. Protease Inhibitors
Impacts:
i. They impairs protein digestion.
ii. They may be trypsin inhibitors or pectinase inhibitors.
iii. There is endogenous loss of methionine.
It is mostly present in Soybean meal and cow peas.
Detoxification :
• Heat treatment
2. Glucosides
• Glucosides are of further 4 types.
a) Saponins
b) Cyanogen's
c) Glucosinolates
d) Estrogen
a) Saponins
Saponins are present in two forms
I. Triterpene Glycosides
II. Steroidal Glycosides
Impacts :
i. It lowers the surface tension and form stable foams with proteins and
cholesterol.
ii. It cause hemolysis and ultimately anemia and higher respiratory rate.
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It is present in Guar meal and sunflower meal.
Detoxification:
• Extraction with hot water or organic solvents.
b. Cyanogen's
Impacts:
• On hydrolysis, they release HCN (Hydrogen Cyanide) which inactivates
cytochrome oxidase system.
Mostly it is present in regrowth of Sorghum. If animal eats second cut of
sorghum less than 2 feet in length, will cause cyanide poisoning and death within
1hr.
Detoxification:
• Closed steam distillation with HCl at 100C for 3 hours
• Cooking followed by discarding of cooked water
c. Glucosinolates
Impacts:
I. On hydrolysis, they suppress the Iodine intake of thyroid glands and cause Goiter.
II. Liver hemorrhages.
III. Fatty liver
It is preset in mustard and rapeseed.
Rapeseed > 150micro mole /gm
Canola < 30micro mole /gm
Detoxification:
i. Can be extracted with hot water or dilute alkali.
ii. Decomposition of Glucosinulates with Soda ash.
d. Estrogen
Impacts:
I. Increase Zn in liver and bones.
II. Increase Ca, P, Mn in bones.
It is present in Soybean seed.
Detoxifications:
• Can be detoxified by dry or moist heat or by solvent extraction.
3. Lectins
Impacts:
I. It is also known as Hemagglutinins because it binds with mannose glycoprotein of
RBCs.
II. It attaches with intestinal epithelium causing death of intestinal epithelial cells by
inactivating Ribosomes. Thus reduce the nutrient absorption.
It is present in Ricin, a caster been seed.
Detoxification:
a) Cooking
b) Autoclaving
c) Soaking in water overnight,
4. Phenols
Phenols are of further two types;
1) Gossypol
2) Tannins
a. Gossypol
Impact:
I. It binds with Lysine, ultimately causing protein deficiency results in Ascites.
II. Cause discoloration of yolk.
III. Reduce Oxygen carrying capacity of blood.
It is present in Cotton seed meal.
Its level > 150mg/kg is toxic.
Detoxification:
I. Fe infiltration in ratio of CSM; Fe in 1:4
II. Fermentation with fungi like Aspergillus oryzae and A. Janus.
b. Tannins
They are polyphenolic compounds.
Impacts:
I. Binds with protein.
II. Inhibit the trypsin, amylase and lipase in intestine.
It is mostly present in Sorghum.
Detoxification:
I. Cold water processing.
II. Boiled water processing.
III.Treatment with Dilute alkali, acid or salt.
IV.Solvent extraction.
V. Autoclaving.
5. Phytates
• Actually they are not as such ANF like others. They are formed by the bonding of
phatic acid and Phosphorus. This bonding is unbreakable by the animals due to
unavailability of phytase enzyme. And Phosphorus is unavailable. So this enzyme
is added in feed synthetically.
Others
1) Erucic Acid
2) Argemone
3) Gizzerosine
4) Nitrates and nitrites
5) Oxalates
Erucic acid
It is polyenoic compound.
Impacts:
I. Low feed intake
II. Poor growth
It is present in Rape seed meal and canola meal
• In Canola, 2% level.
• In Rapeseed meal, 4% level.
• Tolerance level in feed < 0.06%
Detoxification:
• Solvent extraction.
Argemone
Actually they are not present in Rape seed and Canola seed meal, nut present in
seeds from Argemona maxicana which high in soil. They are adulterated in Rape
seed and Canola seed meal.
Impacts:
I. Swelling of legs.
II. Blindness due to atrophy of optic nerve.
III. Edema.
Detoxification:
• Heating at 240 C for 15 minutes.
Gizzerosine
It is formed by reaction between amino group of lysine with histidine during heat
processing of fish meal.
Impacts:
I. Cause Black vomit as the contents of esophagus and crop of Broiler chicken
turns black due to presence of acid digested blood from Gizzard.
II. Also causes erosions and ulceration and then sudden death.
Nitrates and Nitrites
Nitrates are not as such formed in plants but accumulated from soil into plants.
Nitrates are converted into Nitrites. They react with Hemoglobin and convert it
into Methamoglobin. It means loss of Oxygen Carrying capacity.
Oxalates
They are just like Phytases. And unavailability of minerals. They are of two types;
1) Soluble Oxalates ( Na and K oxalates ). So become available.
2) Insoluble Oxalates ( Ca and Mg oxalates ). So remains unavailable.
Impacts:
I. Poor growth
II. Decreased Ca serum level
III. Rickets
Mycotoxins
Definition:
A diverse family of chemical substances produced by molds is known
as mycotoxins.
There are five types of mycotoxins;
1) Aflatoxin
2) Fusarium mycotoxin
3) Trichothecenes
4) Zearalenone
5) Ochratoxin
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• Toxic metabolic by products of fungi
• 300 mycotoxins
• Mycotoxicoses refers to poisoning by mycotoxins
Impacts:
• Highly toxic, Subclinical
• A. parasiticus, A. flavus, A. nomius
• Reduced feed intake, uneven growth
• Bruising syndrome. . . Toxin ↑capil. Fragility
• ↓egg production, deteriorated interior and exterior quality
• ↓Hatchability, ↑embryonic mortality
• Immunosuppresstion, ↑clotting time
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• Congestion, s/c pet. Hem. on internal organs
• Liver damage, fatty, mottled, cirrhosis
• Kidney damage; ↑, pet. Hem
• Ascites and hydropericardium
Conditions Favoring Fungus
Production
• Temperature 25oC plus
• Relative Humidity 60 % plus
• Grain moisture 13 % plus
• Improper fertilization of crop
• Delayed harvest time
• Sub-standard storage conditions
• Presence of insects
Environmental Impact
Chances in environment;
• Hot humid > Cold dry > Cold humid > Hot dry
Detoxification
Chemical Inactivation
• Alkali treatment, Adsorption

 Physical Inactivation
• Blending, irradiation, heating

 Biological Inactivation
• Certain spp. of fungi, yeast & bacteria
Prevention
I. Raw materials and mixed feeds (moisture = 9-12.5%)
II. Non-contaminated mixed feeds
III. First in first out
IV. Temperature < 20ć
V. Blow dry air through the raw materials in the silo
VI. Hygiene and cleaning
VII. Fumigation systems against insects, mites, rodents
VIII.Mold inhibitors
IX. Treatments of the mix factory equipment with a mould inhibitor