Contamination of broiler chicken's mash and litter with moulds, aflatoxins, ochratoxin A and zearalenone.

Contamination of broiler chicken's mash and litter with moulds, aflatoxin B1 (AB1), G1 (AG1), ochratoxin A (OA) and zearalenone (F-2 toxin) was examined on a broiler fattening farm. All broiler chicken's mash samples tested were contaminated with moulds. The highest total viable counts of moulds (3.3 x 10(5) per g) were found in broiler starter diet. Moulds isolated from mash were classified into 8 genera and 27 species. Many of them (Aspergillus spp., Fusarium spp., Penicillium spp.) are known as mycotoxin-producing moulds. Fusarium moniliforme was the dominant species in mash mycopopulations. Moulds were also found in all litter samples. The highest fungus count (80 x 10(5) per g) in litter was found at the beginning of fattening. Fungi isolated from litter samples belonged to 9 genera and 22 species. Aspergillus, Penicillium and Mucor were the most prevalent genera. None of the broiler chicken's mash and litter samples tested was contaminated either with AB1, AG1, OA or with F-2 toxin. F. moniliforme was zearalenone-negative also under laboratory conditions.