Whey is the main byproduct of the cheese industry. While the composition is variable, it retains up to 55% of milk nutrients. The beneficial features of whey indicates a promising source of new potentially probiotic strains for the development of food additives destined for animal production. The aim of this study was to identify Kluyveromyces spp. isolated from whey, to study some probiotic properties and to select the best strain to be encapsulated using derivatised chitosan. Kluyveromyces marxianus strains (VM003, VM004 and VM005) were isolated from whey and identified by phenotypic and molecular techniques. These three yeast strains were able to survive under gastrointestinal conditions. Moreover, they exhibited weak auto-aggregation and co-aggregation with pathogenic bacteria (Salmonella sp., Serratia sp., Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium). In general the K. marxianus strains had a strong antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria. The potential probiotic K. marxianus VM004 strain was selected for derivatised-chitosan encapsulation. Material treated with native chitosan exhibited a strong antimicrobial activity of K. marxianus, showing a total growth inhibition at 10 min exposure. However, derivatised-chitosan encapsulation showed a reduced antimicrobial activity. This is the first study to show some probiotic properties of whey–native K. marxianus, in vitro. An encapsulation strategy was applied using derivatised chitosan.

The detection of mycotoxins in feeds and their ingredients in aquaculture gained prominence due to losses caused in production and animal health, mainly the occurrence of aflatoxin (AFB₁). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of AFB₁ on the performance of tambaqui fingerlings (Colossoma macropomum). Four hundred tambaqui were used. Four different treatments were evaluated: treatment T1, considered as the control treatment (CT) with 3.84 μg kg⁻¹; treatment T2, treatment T3 and treatment T4 with 500, 1000 and 2000 μg kg⁻¹ of AFB₁, respectively. The AFB₁ of the samples (muscle, liver and kidney) was detected by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Four fingerlings from each treatment for histological analysis were examined. Moreover, the performance parameters (weight gain, feed conversion and feed intake) were studied. The levels of toxins used in T2, T3 and T4 represent a reduction in the growth of 14%, 35% and 45%, respectively. The T3 and T4 showed the lowest weight gain (78%) and the worst feed conversion. Aflatoxin B₁ in muscle (3.28 μg kg⁻¹) and kidneys (8.8 μg kg⁻¹) in the T3, as well as liver (4.4 μg kg⁻¹) and kidney (4.08 μg kg⁻¹) in T4, was detected. Histopathological changes in liver and kidney tissues of fingerlings were more pronounced in T3 and T4. Fingerlings that consume feed contaminated with AFB₁ in concentrations higher than 500 μg kg⁻¹ present decreases in growth, reduction in weight gain and feed intake with increased feed conversion. The consumption of feed contaminated with 1000 and 2000 μg kg⁻¹ of AFB₁ caused severe deterioration in the hepatic and renal tissues.

The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro the probiotic potential and absorption of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for the aflatoxin B1 in simulated fish intestinal tract conditions. Three yeast strains were used, two from brewery: S. cerevisiae RC1 and S. cerevisiae RC3 and one from a fish farming environment: S. cerevisiae A8L2. The selected yeasts were subjected to the following in vitro tests: homologous inhibition, self-aggregation, co-aggregation, antibacterial activity, gastrointestinal conditions tolerance and adsorption of AFB1. All S. cerevisiae strains showed good capability of self-aggregation and co-aggregation with pathogenic bacteria. All yeast strains were able to survive the gastrointestinal conditions. In acidic conditions, the factors (strain vs. time) had interaction (P=0.0317), resulting in significant variation among the strains tested in the time periods analyzed. It was observed that there was also interaction (P=0.0062) in intestinal conditions, with an increased number of cells in the 12-hour period for all strains tested. In the adsorption test, the A8L2 strain was statistically more effective (P<0.005) for both AFB1 concentrations evaluated in this study (10 and 25ng/mL). Thus, it was observed that the strains of S. cerevisiae have potential probiotic and adsorbent of AFB1.