Prevalence and Quantification of Aflatoxin B1 in Broiler Meat and Poultry Feed at Different Zones of Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and levels of aflatoxin B1 in broiler meat and feed samples from various zones of Sindh, Pakistan, conducted at Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, during 2022-2023. A total of 360 broiler meat and feed samples, with 120 from southern, central, and northern zones, were collected from retail shops and poultry farms. All samples were screened for aflatoxin B1 using the ELISA Bio-Shield Total Extra Sensitive Kit. Negative samples were spiked with 5 and 10g/kg aflatoxin B1 for validation. The southern zone had the highest contamination of aflatoxin B1 in broiler meat (58.33%; 36.50±2.08 µg/Kg) and feed (67.50%; 66.20±1.15 µg/Kg), followed by the central zone (40.00%; 32.60±1.64 µg/Kg) and the northern zone (25.00%; 20.90±2.82 µg/Kg). Contamination levels in feed samples were also higher in the southern zone compared to central (48.30%; 56.25±0.87µg/Kg) and northern (28.30%; 47.55±1.50 µg/Kg) zones. The aflatoxin B1 levels in both meat and feed samples exceeded the FDA-recommended limit of 20 µg/Kg, posing a significant risk to food safety. These findings highlight the urgent need for a monitoring plan to mitigate aflatoxin contamination in broiler meat, poultry products, and feedstuffs across Sindh, Pakistan, to ensure safer food production.