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.