K.K. de  Souza, V.M.  Scussel, 
    Dogs and Birds Dry Food Fumonisin FB<SUB>1</SUB> and FB<SUB>2</SUB> Contamination 
  and Their Relation to Ingredients and Packaging Characteristics,
    Research Journal of Biological Sciences,
    Volume 8,Issue 1,
    2013,
    Pages 22-29,
    ISSN 1815-8846,
    rjbsci.2013.22.29,
    (https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=rjbsci.2013.22.29)
    Abstract: Fumonisin (FB<SUB>1</SUB> and FB<SUB>2</SUB>) contamination 
  and their relation to the ingredients composition and packaging characteristics 
  were evaluated in dry foods for dogs and birds sold in Southern Brazil. Out 
  of 50 dogs and birds food samples analyzed, 80 and 60% had FB levels detected 
  above, the applied method (LC/FLD) limit of quantification, thus 0.04, 0.05 
  and 0.09 mg kg<SUP>-1</SUP> for FB<SUB>1</SUB>, FB<SUB>2</SUB> and FB<SUB>total</SUB>, 
  respectively. Pet food levels ranged for FB<SUB>1</SUB> from 0.04-1.60/0.07-0.64 
  and FB<SUB>2</SUB>: 0.04-0.27/0.12-0.45 mg kg<SUP>-1</SUP> for dogs/birds samples, 
  respectively. Those levels were lower than the international regulation (FDA, 
  EU) for FB<SUB>total</SUB> (5 mg kg<SUP>-1</SUP>). Regarding ingredient composition, 
  both food types (100%) had maize as the main carbohydrate energy source followed 
  by rice (82%) and wheat (91%). The other grains toxin contamination related 
  were in decreasing order of inclusion: Soybean, linseed and sorghum/oats mix 
  (55/50, 37/50 and 9/50% for dogs/birds, respectively). Regarding fungi growth 
  pet food humidity conditions while mc were high in the birds (10.0-14.0%; RSD 
  9.9%) food samples they were rather low in the dogs (6.8-10.4%; RSD 9%), with 
  rather similar a<SUB>w</SUB> for both food (dogs: 0.48-0.65; RSD: 6.3% and birds: 
  0.53-0.78; RSD 11.0%). Although, the birds samples mc and a<SUB>w</SUB> were 
  below Fusarium growth conditions, some of them could be enough for further toxigenic 
  storage fungi growth as the pet selling food stores room temperature in Southern 
  Brazil.
    Keywords: Pet food;fumonisins;moisture content;water activity;Brazil