Tissue persistence of fumonisin B1 in ducks and after exposure to a diet containing the maximum European tolerance for fumonisins in avian feeds

Toxicity and persistence of fumonisin B1 (FB1) in liver, kidney and muscle were investigated in ducks fed 5, 10 and 20 mg FB1 + FB2/kg feed during force-feeding. Mortality and signs of toxicity were only obtained with 20 mg/kg, whereas an increased Sa/So ratio was observed from 5 mg/kg on. Persistence of FB1 was only found in liver (16 and 20 μg FB1/kg liver in ducks fed 10 and 20 mg FB1 + FB2/kg feed, respectively). Toxicokinetic studies were conducted by the intravenous route (IV, single dose: 10 mg FB1/kg body weight) and the oral route (single dose: 100 mg FB1/kg body weight), in growing ducks and in ducks during force-feeding. After IV administration, serum concentration–time curves were described by a two-compartment open model. Elimination half-life and mean residence time of FB1 were 26 and 24 min, respectively, clearance was 19.3 ml/min/kg. After oral administration, bioavailability, elimination half-life, mean residence time and clearance varied during force-feeding and growth from 2–2.3%, 71–80 min, 200–188 min, 16.7–17 ml/min/kg, respectively. Taken together these results demonstrate that the risk of persistence of FB1 in ducks after force-feeding is very low, Sa/So being a good biomarker which increases before signs of toxicity and risk of persistence of FB1 in tissue (limit of detection 13 μg/kg).