Monitoring the preventive effect of hydrogen peroxide and gamma-radiation of aflatoxicosis in growing rabbits and the effect of cooking on aflatoxin residues

The objective of the present study was the prevention of aflatoxicosis of g rowing rabbits fed aflatoxin (AF)-contaminated diet (833 mug of aflatoxins/ kg) using 5% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and gamma -radiation at a dose level of 500 krad (5 kGy) and fed to growing rabbits. A total of 24 New Zealand w hite rabbits were divided into three groups. The experimental diets include d AF-contaminated diet; AF-decontaminated diet, and AF-free diet (control). The obtained data showed significant reduction (p < 0.05) in live body wei ght and body weight gain of rabbits that fed on AF-contaminated diet as wel l as AF-decontaminated diet relative to control. There were no differences in feed consumption among the three groups; feed efficiency reduced signifi cantly for AF-contaminated and AF-decontaminated groups. Mortality percenta ge was 25% for AF-contaminated and AF-decontaminated groups. Relative weigh t of the liver increased in animals fed AF-contaminated and AF-decontaminat ed diets, whereas the relative weight of kidneys decreased for both. There was no difference in total protein, but the levels of albumin and globulin were altered in rabbits receiving AF-contaminated diet. Serum enzymes (alan ine amino transferase and aspartate amino transferase) activity increased s ignificantly in rabbits that received AF-contaminated as well as AF-deconta minated diets. Histopathological examination revealed particularly alterati on in liver and kidneys of rabbits fed AF-decontaminated diet. Results show ed that the percentage of aflatoxin reduction ranged between 67 and 80% in boiled liver and between 79 and 90.5% in fried liver, whereas complete redu ction in AF was found after boiling followed by frying. These findings indi cate that the use of H2O2 and gamma -radiation for the destruction of aflat oxins in contaminated diet induces adverse effects in the animals.