Hydrogen Water Detoxifies Contaminated Animal Feed, Protects Turkey Health
Ameliorative Effects of Neutral Electrolyzed Water on Growth Performance, Biochemical Constituents, and Histopathological Changes in Turkey Poults during Aflatoxicosis
Research hubs: Digestive System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (turkey)
- Authors
- Denise Gómez-Espinosa, Francisco Cervantes-Aguilar, Juan Del Río-García, Tania Villarreal-Barajas, Alma Vázquez-Durán, Abraham Méndez-Albores
- Journal
- Toxins
- Year
- 2017
- PMID
- 28335412
- Study Type
- Turkey
- Participants
- 240
- Delivery
- Water (Electrolysis)
- Duration
- 2 weeks
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 23 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Mexico
TL;DR
Neutral electrolyzed water (NEW) can effectively reduce the harmful effects of aflatoxins in contaminated maize, making it safer for young turkeys to eat.
Key Finding
Neutral electrolyzed water treatment of aflatoxin-contaminated maize prevented the toxic effects of aflatoxins in young turkeys, with treated birds showing normal growth, survival rates, and organ health comparable to birds fed uncontaminated feed.
Summary
Researchers tested whether neutral electrolyzed water (water treated with electricity to change its chemical properties) could reduce the harmful effects of aflatoxins (toxic substances produced by mold) in contaminated corn fed to young turkeys. Over two weeks, turkeys eating contaminated corn treated with electrolyzed water showed similar growth and health to turkeys eating clean corn, while turkeys eating untreated contaminated corn had poor growth, higher death rates, and organ damage.
Practical Takeaway
This study in poultry suggests electrolyzed water may help neutralize aflatoxin contamination in animal feed, but this is animal research only with no direct application to human hydrogen water consumption. The relevance to hydrogen water marketed for human health is unclear, as the study focuses on a specific detoxification process in livestock rather than the general health effects of hydrogen-enriched drinking water.
Abstract (excerpt)
Different in vitro and in silico approaches from our research group have demonstrated that neutral electrolyzed water (NEW) can be used to detoxify aflatoxins. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the ability of NEW to detoxify B-aflatoxins (AFB₁ and AFB₂) in contaminated maize…