Evaluation of β-D-glucan biopolymer as a novel mycotoxin binder for fumonisin and deoxynivalenol in soybean feed.

The walls of yeast cells, which contain β-D-glucan biopolymers, have an active role in reducing mycotoxins in animal feed. This study aimed to evaluate the β-D-glucan biopolymers as a mycotoxin binder for fumonisin (FUM) and deoxynivalenol (DON) toxins as well as their effect on the nutritional value of soybean, which is considered one of the important feed row materials. The evaluation was carried out using some toxigenic Fusarium isolates (Fusarium solani, F. oxysporum, and F. verticillioides) in vitro and in vivo. The FUM and DON levels were determined by immune affinity column. The F. verticillioides was the most toxigenic, followed by F. oxysporum and lastly F. solani, while secretion of DON toxin was determined to be greater than FUM with all the tested fungi. The effectiveness of β-D-glucan biopolymers on FUM and DON absorption was greater than clay and calcium propionate. In vivo, treating soybean seeds with β-D-glucan biopolymers led to reduction in the level of FUM and DON toxins in seeds artificially inoculated by F. verticillioides. β-D-glucan treatment also has a low effect on nutritional components of the seeds compared to untreated ones. In conclusion, this study found a new approach to reduce Fusarium mycotoxins in feed to an allowable safe limit and at the same time maintaining the nutritional value of these materials.