Reduction of aflatoxin B1 levels by sheep saliva

This study determined the decrease of aflatoxin B₁ by sheep saliva at concentrations of 150 and 300 μg aflatoxin B-₁/L saliva. Analyses for aflatoxins B₁, M₁, and aflatoxicol (R₀) were performed after 2, 4, 6, 24, and 48 hours of incubation. Aflatoxin M₁ and R₀ were not detected and only residues of aflatoxin B₁ were found. 4 to 13% of aflatoxin B₁ were decomposed by sheep’s saliva within 2 hrs and 33 to 43% of aflatoxin B₁ after 24 hrs. Decomposition was affected by the aflatoxin concentration. Decrease of aflatoxin B₁ at 2, 4, 6 hrs was nearly three times higher at the low concentration (150 ppb) compared to the high concentration (300 ppb). After 48 hrs incubation more than 80% of the initial aflatoxin B₁ had been decomposed by the saliva.