Bentonite Reduces Measurable Aflatoxin B₁in Fish Feed

Abstract

Methods for extraction and quantification of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) were tested and adapted for use with fish feed. We tested a wide range of minerals in vitro to find practical methods to reduce the bioavailability of AFB1. Several common feed additives previously reported to have a beneficial effect in fish or in livestock were included. The amount of AFB1 recovered from methanol–water extracts declined by an average of 70% within 1 h of adding 10% bentonite to moistened trout feed. If bentonite has a similar in vivo effect, then the adsorption of undetected feed toxins might explain the reported beneficial effects of feeding bentonite to fish.