Advances in Anti-Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are toxic chemicals produced by certain fungi and pose a significant threat to human and animal health through contaminated food and feed. These toxins, primarily produced by Aspergillus, Claviceps, Penicillium, Fusarium, and Alternaria fungi, can cause acute or chronic illness. Despite the identification of more than 500 mycotoxins, six major groups (aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxins, trichothecenes, zearalenone, and patulin) pose the most significant food safety concerns due to their frequent occurrence. Mycotoxins weaken the immune system, making animals more susceptible to infections and diseases, ultimately impacting their health and performance. These toxins can cause a range of harmful effects, including damage to the liver (hepatotoxic), suppress the immune system (immunotoxic), cause genetic mutations (mutagenic), increase cancer risk (carcinogenic), and disrupt fetal development (teratogenic) in several animal species. Controlling mycotoxin contamination remains a significant global challenge. Even with the implementation of the best practices in agriculture, storage, and processing, their unpredictable presence and exceptional resistance to different treatments pose a permanent threat to food safety. Therefore, this chapter explores the latest advances in anti-mycotoxin strategies for poultry, focusing on innovative approaches to counteract mycotoxin contamination.