A recent global survey by DSM-Firmenich reveals a troubling trend in mycotoxin contamination across animal feed—particularly in China and South Asia, including India. The findings underscore an urgent need for robust mycotoxin risk management strategies to safeguard animal health, feed quality, and food safety in a changing climate.
The analysis covered 6,000 feed samples from 70 countries during the first quarter of 2025, confirming that over 76% of samples contained more than one mycotoxin, with just 6% free of contamination.
🔬 South Asia Among Highest Risk Zones
South Asia, which includes India, shared the highest global mycotoxin risk level (94%) along with China and Taiwan. The top contaminants in the region were:
- Aflatoxins (Afla) – 87% prevalence
- Ochratoxin A (OTA) – 70%
- Fumonisins (FUM) – 66%
These toxins are known to significantly affect ruminants, swine, and poultry, compromising animal productivity, immunity, and reproductive performance.
📈 Global Overview of Mycotoxin Hotspots
Other high-risk regions included:
- Central America (85%) – ZEN: 92%, FUM: 85%
- Middle East & North Africa (82%) – FUM: 89%, DON: 88%
- East Asia (81%) – FUM: 100%
- North America (81%) – DON: up to 11,785 ppb in some samples
By contrast, Eastern Europe (23%) and Oceania (16%) recorded the lowest mycotoxin risk levels.
🐄 Species-Specific Risks
DSM-Firmenich flagged high FUM levels as harmful to the aquaculture and shellfish sectors, while Aflatoxins posed serious risks for ruminants (including dairy cattle) and pigs in South Asia.
“Mycotoxins remain a serious and evolving threat,” said Ursula Hofstetter, Head of Mycotoxin Risk Management at DSM-Firmenich.
“With shifting climates and new agricultural practices, we must understand global trends and prioritize sustainable feed and food production.”
🇮🇳 What It Means for Indian Dairy
The findings spotlight the pressing need for the Indian dairy industry to implement toxin binders, precision feed testing, and farm-level mycotoxin monitoring. With India’s vast dairy herd relying on feed sourced from multiple raw materials, cross-contamination risks are high, making it critical to integrate preventive diagnostics and quality control at every stage of the supply chain.
