November 6, 2024
Reading Time: 2 minutes
As pets become integral parts of our families, their health and well-being are of utmost importance. Mycotoxins pose significant health risks to dogs, with both acute and chronic effects. They can contaminate cereals and other plant-based ingredients used in petfood and persist through food processing and storage.
Figure 1. Mycotoxin contamination of food and toxicity on dog health. AF, OTA, FUM, ZEA and DON are the most frequent in dog food.
Health risks of mycotoxins in dog food
Dogs are particularly vulnerable to mycotoxin exposure due to their prolonged lifespan compared to farm animals. Even low levels of chronic exposure can lead to significant health issues (Figure 1). Occurrence studies reveal that dog food frequently tests positive for several mycotoxins, independently of the food category (premium or economic).
Reducing mycotoxin risk: Detoxification methods
Various methods are being developed to combat mycotoxin contamination in pet food. These include physical, chemical, and biological detoxification strategies. With physical approaches, such as heat treatment and irradiation, the detoxification is limited by the heat resistance of some toxins and potential nutrient loss. The most effective physical strategy is the use of mycotoxin binders. Chemical treatments using compounds like ammonia or ozone can break down mycotoxins, but there are concerns about the safety of the chemical residues left in the food. Biological detoxification methods use microorganisms or enzymes to degrade mycotoxins naturally. These approaches are still being researched to ensure their safety and effectiveness in large-scale applications.
The path forward
To protect pets from the dangers of mycotoxins, the pet food industry must adopt stringent quality controls and effective detoxification strategies. By staying informed and choosing high-quality, tested products, pet owners can help safeguard their dogs from the harmful effects of mycotoxins.
Reference: Yang L., Yang L., Cai Y., Luo Y., Wang H., Wang L., Chen J., Liu X., Wu Y., Qin Y., Wu Z., Liu N., 2023. Natural mycotoxin contamination in dog food: A review on toxicity and detoxification methods. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114948
