Detoxifying mycotoxins and antifungal properties of two rumen‐derivedEnterococcusspecies in artificially contaminated corn silages

Abstract

AbstractBACKGROUNDMycotoxins contamination in food and feed has emerged as an issue of serious concern because they pose serious health risks to both humans and livestock. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of two rumen‐derivedEnterococcusspp. on fermentation and hygienic quality of artificially contaminated corn silages. The toxigenic fungal‐infested (FI) and non‐fungal infested (NFI) corn was harvested at 1/2 milk line stage and ensiled without additives (CON) or withEnterococcus faecalis(E) orEnterococcus faecium(M).RESULTSThe pH of FI silages was higher than that of NFI silages, the pH in NFI‐M was lower than in NFI‐CON. InoculatingE. faeciummarkedly increased lactic acid concentration compared to CON and E silages. BothE. faeciumandE. faecalisdecreased the deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN) concentrations compared with the CON for FI silages, whileE. faeciumwas more effective in eliminating aflatoxin B1(AFB1). The FI silage had higher bacterial and fungal Shannon indexes than NFI silages. The relative abundance (RA) ofAspergillusandFusariummarked a decline from day 5 to day 90. InoculatingE. faeciumandE. faecalisreduced the RA ofPenicilliumcompared to CON.In vitromycotoxins removal assay indicated thatE. faeciumwas more effective in AFB1detoxification while having lower detoxifying ZEN capacity thanE. faecalis.CONCLUSIONInoculating rumen‐derivedEnterococcusspp. isolates alleviated the negative effects of fungal infestation on the fermentation and hygienic quality of corn silages by changing the microbial communities and detoxifying mycotoxins. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.