Evaluation of international methodology microscopy-based for ruminants feed animal origem ingredients identification

Abstract

The Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) is caused by an infectious protein called prion responsible for the nervous system degenerationof humans and animals. The classic form of the disease occurs with the intake of animal protein contaminated with the infectious prion. The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply is responsible for promoting control and prevention of this disease in the country due to the posiblerisk of disease transmission to ruminants. Brazil is a major feed producer thus, it is important the effective control of feed ingredients. Animal by-products (flour hooves and horns, flesh and bones, feathers, fish, poultry viscera, bones not calcined, calcined bones and dairy products) are important for protein and mineral supplementation of ruminants diet in (however, only the steamed bones and dairy products are allowed for ruminants). We report the macro and microscopic evaluation of feed, supplements and by-products of animal origin (OA) carried out in the microscopylaboratory, Southern Brazil, which enabled the characterization of differenceAOtissues. Analysis were performed macroscopically during the sample preparation and then microscopically (by stereoscopy and fluorescence) to identifythe ingredients,whether they were allowed (i.e., included in the list) in theestablished standards. The metods detection limit (LD) in the fortificated samples (blood meal, bone non-calcined powder, feather meal and hooves and horns flour) reached up to 0.05%which was confirmed by specific chemical tests. LDobtained provided reliability to the results and enabled the development of analyst visual acuity. The microscopic method for the detection of animal by-products was effective andconsidered and useful tool, easy to perform and inexpensive to mitigate the risk of BSE.