Mitigation of mycotoxin residues and activation of endogenous stem cells in broiler chickens using a toxin binder: Implications for meat safety and performance enhancement.

Abstract

Background and aim: Mycotoxin contamination in poultry feed, particularly with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA), poses significant threats to broiler health, meat quality, and consumer safety. Toxin binders are commonly used to mitigate these effects; however, their impact on endogenous stem cell activity and overall broiler performance remains underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a commercial toxin binder in reducing AFB1 and OTA residues in broiler meat, inducing endogenous stem cell production, and improving growth and feed performance indices.

Materials and methods: Twenty Cobb broilers were randomly assigned to four groups: Negative control (C-), positive control with mycotoxin-contaminated feed (C+), treatment 1 (T1: 1.1 g/kg binder), and treatment 2 (T2: 1.6 g/kg binder). Broilers were fed for 35 days. AFB1 and OTA levels in pectoral muscles were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography, while endogenous stem cell markers (CD34+, CD45+, CD105-) in spleen tissue were assessed through flow cytometry. Growth parameters, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and performance index were also evaluated.

Results: AFB1 and OTA residues were significantly reduced in T1 and T2 compared to C+ (p < 0.05), with T2 showing the lowest levels (0.0023 μg/mL and 0.073 μg/mL, respectively). Flow cytometry revealed that T2 significantly induced endogenous stem cells (35.62% ± 2.16) compared to all other groups. The highest average daily growth occurred in T1 (68.78 ± 4.78 g/day), while the best FCR (1.38 ± 0.079) and performance index (386.2 ± 14.34) were also recorded in T1. No mortality occurred in any group.

Conclusion: Administering a toxin binder at 1.6 g/kg effectively reduced AFB1 and OTA residues and significantly activated endogenous stem cells, suggesting a protective and regenerative effect. Meanwhile, a dose of 1.1 g/kg yielded optimal growth performance and feed efficiency. These findings support the dual functional role of toxin binders in enhancing broiler meat safety and physiological resilience.