Abstract
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).