Pumpkin Seeds Show Promise in Mitigating Ochratoxin A Toxicity in Poultry Farming

A study published in the journal Microbial Pathogenesis has found that pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita spp.) can effectively mitigate the toxic effects of ochratoxin A (OTA) in broilers. The researchers, led by Munaza Aslam from the University of Agriculture in Faisalabad, Pakistan, conducted an experiment where 140 chicks were divided into seven groups: control, OTA (400 ppb), PS (200 or 400 mg/kg), OTA+PS (200 or 400 mg/kg), and OTA+commercial binder. The results showed that broilers fed OTA-contaminated diets showed a 37% reduction in feed intake and 32% decrease in body weight gain compared to control. However, birds receiving PS-supplemented diets, particularly at 400 mg/kg, demonstrated improved feed consumption, restored humoral and cellular immune responses, and preserved tissue architecture with efficacy comparable to the commercial toxin binder.

Key Takeaways:

• Pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita spp.) showed promise in mitigating ochratoxin A (OTA) toxicity in poultry farming.
• The study involved 140 chicks divided into seven groups to test the efficacy of pumpkin seeds against OTA toxicity.
• Broilers fed OTA-contaminated diets showed a 37% reduction in feed intake and 32% decrease in body weight gain compared to control.
• PS-supplemented diets, particularly at 400 mg/kg, demonstrated improved feed consumption, restored humoral and cellular immune responses, and preserved tissue architecture.
• The protective effects of pumpkin seeds may be attributed to the bioactive constituents of pumpkin seeds, such as antioxidants, polyphenols, and unsaturated fatty acids.
• The study suggests that pumpkin seeds may offer a practical and natural alternative to synthetic binders for mitigating OTA toxicity in poultry.
• The researchers found evidence of lymphoid organ atrophy, lymphocytic depletion, and epithelial damage in the bursa of Fabricius and thymus in birds exposed to OTA.

Statistics:

• 37% reduction in feed intake in broilers fed OTA-contaminated diets.
• 32% decrease in body weight gain in broilers fed OTA-contaminated diets.
• 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of pumpkin seeds were tested in the study.
• 140 chicks were used in the experiment.

Sources:

• Amelioration of Ochratoxin A-Induced Immunotoxicity and Lymphoid Tissue Injury in Poultry Using Pumpkin Seed Supplementation: A Natural Feed-Based Approach. Microbial Pathogenesis, 2025:108112.
• University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences.
• Microbial Pathogenesis. Academic Press Ltd- Elsevier Science Ltd, 24-28 Oval Rd, London NW1 7DX, England.