The capacity of manno-oligosaccharides, thermolysed yeast and active yeast to attenuate aflatoxicosis

This study assessed the ability of thermolysed, active yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and manno-oligosaccharides, to reduce the effects of aflatoxins in animals. A basic ration was developed with six different formulations. Each formulation was considered a treatment. The treatments were: an aflatoxin-free formulation, an aflatoxin control (400 μg kg -1) and four aflatoxin-supplemented formulations. The supplements were 0.1 and 0.2% manno-oligosaccharides, 1% thermolysed yeast and 1% dehydrated active yeast. The experiment was randomly designed and had five repetitions per treatment. The feed was contaminated with aflatoxins from naturally contaminated peanuts. A bioassay with Wistar rats was conducted after 28 days. The aflatoxin toxicity was evaluated by weighing body organs (heart, kidneys and liver) and by analysing the liver tissue of the animals. No significant differences were observed for the weights of the body organs from the animals fed with the different rations. However, the analysis of the liver tissue showed animals fed with 400 μg of aflatoxin kg -1, and those fed diets with aflatoxin amended with either manno-oligosaccharides or with thermolysed yeast had clear signs of toxicity and damage, while those fed with dehydrated active yeast showed less intense toxicity and less liver damage. Therefore, the thermolysed yeast and manno-oligosaccharides did not suppress damage to liver tissue caused by aflatoxins, while active yeast reduced the aflatoxin symptoms in the hepatocytes.