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Microscopic feed examination - a useful method for establishing the constituents of animal origin and botanical impurities.

I. Ujčič-Vrhovnik,B. Jakovac-Strajn

Published 2009 in Unknown venue

ABSTRACT

Microscopic methods are often used to check for fake feeds, made of substances of lower nutritive and digestible value, which can significantly decrease their quality or can even be toxic to animals and subsequently to people. In accordance with the EU laws, the official EU method (Commission Directive 2003/126/EC) for the determination of constituents of animal origin in feeds is used in Slovenia. On the basis of the results we can confirm that the feed for domestic animals in Slovenia is safe regarding the presence of the constituents of animal origin. There is a Directive in the EU (Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council 2002/32/EC) on undesirable substances in animal feed, containing a list of undesirable chemical and botanical impurities. Also in this case microscopic feed examination is adequate and applicable. Among the botanical impurities, mentioned in the Directive, is the plant named Thorn apple (Datura stramonium). Seeds of this plant contain alkaloids like hyoscyamine, atropine and scopolamine, which are toxic for animals, therefore the maximum Thorn apple seeds content is regulated for all feedstuffs. In the past two years microscopic examination showed that 10 of 40 samples of different feeds for wild birds contained seeds of Datura stramonium (1 to 124 seeds). The same samples were also used to examine the presence of seeds of the named Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) that is not toxic for animals but for humans, because its pollen is a strong allergen. 21 of 40 examined samples contained 1 to 235 seeds of Common ragweed. With regard to the fact that these different feeds for wild birds are available in, there is a permanent possibility that people involuntarily spread this plant in their surroundings.

PUBLICATION RECORD

  • Publication year

    2009

  • Venue

    Unknown venue

  • Publication date

    Unknown publication date

  • Fields of study

    Agricultural and Food Sciences, Biology

  • Identifiers

    No identifiers available.

  • External record

    Open on Semantic Scholar

  • Source metadata

    Semantic Scholar

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