Effects of Lactobacillus cultures on performance of laying hens,and total cholesterol,lipid and fatty acid composition of egg yolk

BACKGROUND: The use of antibiotic growth promoters in animal feeds is not approved for laying hens in many countries, and economically feasible biological measures which include probiotics are developed to improve hen performance. The present study investigated the effects of probiotics on hen performance for a 48‐week period and the cholesterol, total lipid and fatty acid composition of egg yolk at 24, 28 and 32 weeks of age. RESULTS: Egg weight of Lactobacillus culture (LC)‐fed hens was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than that of control hens throughout the laying period. From 20 to 44 weeks of age, LC‐fed hens produced a significantly (P < 0.05) lower percentage of small eggs and a higher percentage of large eggs, and from 45 to 68 weeks of age a significantly (P < 0.05) lower percentage of medium eggs and a higher percentage of large and extra‐large eggs than control hens. Significantly (P < 0.05) less cholesterol was found in egg yolks of hens fed LC at 24 and 28 weeks of age, but not at 32 weeks of age. The total lipid content and the fatty acid composition of egg yolks were similar between the treatments at 24, 28 and 32 weeks of age, except for stearic acid (C_{18 : 0}), which was significantly reduced in the egg yolk of LC‐fed hens at 28–32 weeks of age. CONCLUSION: The greatest benefit of LC was in increasing egg weight and improving egg size by influencing a shift from small and medium to large and extra‐large eggs. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Trace mineral content of conventional,organic and courtyard eggs analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

We investigated the contents in yolk and albumen of the trace minerals Se, Zn, Mn, Co, Cu, Mo, V, Cr, Ni, Tl, As and Cd in eggs from hens from three husbandry systems by ICP-MS. Conventional hens were given a commercial feed with added minerals, organic hens were given a feed based on organic feedstuffs also with added minerals, and courtyard hens were fed on cereals, legumes, grass and swill. Dietary Se, Zn, Mn, Co and Cu concentrations were lower in courtyard compared to conventional and organic diets; Cr concentration was highest in courtyard compared to organic diet. Trace element contents in yolks were higher than those in albumen. The highest content of Se in yolks was in organic, followed by conventional eggs. Zn contents were highest in courtyard yolk, followed by conventional, which in turn was higher than organic. Mn yolk contents were lowest in courtyard eggs; Cr contents were highest in courtyard eggs. The differences in albumen were in Zn and Cr values, which were highest in courtyard eggs. Τhe results provide baseline measurements of trace mineral contents of eggs and suggest measurable differences amongst eggs from hens in different husbandry systems; the physiological significance of these differences are discussed.     

Enriching the egg yolk in n − 3 fatty acids by feeding hens with diets containing horse fat produced in Uruguay

The present study was conducted to evaluate the ability of horse fat produced in Uruguay, compared with other lipid sources supplemented in the diet of laying hens, to modify the lipid composition and the n − 6/n − 3 fatty acid ratio of the produced eggs. For this purpose, 60 laying hens (Gallus domesticus) were fed for 30 days with five experimental diets (12 hens/diet) containing 3% sunflower oil (SO), rice oil (RO), beef tallow (BT), pressed-fat (PF), obtained by pressing fat from bovine viscera, and horse fat (HF) obtained from horse bone medulla. Throughout the trial, feeding rate, shell index, weight and total lipid contents of eggs, were not affected by the different diets. Feeding on the SO and RO diets significantly increased the amount of linoleic acid of the egg, although it was lower in the RO than in the SO eggs. Diet BT did not affect the saturated fatty acid content of the yolks. The diets with animal fats containing 18:3n − 3 (diets PF and HF), resulted in a significant increase in the n − 3 fatty acid contents of the eggs, through an increase of linolenic (18:3n − 3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n − 3) contents. Eggs from hens fed the HF diet showed increased linolenic acid (46 mg/yolk) and DHA (71 mg/yolk, 1.7% of total fatty acids) contents. These levels were obtained after two weeks of feeding. Moreover, the fatty acid profiles of eggs from treatment HF were not significantly affected by thermal treatment of the yolks. In conclusion, the fat from horse bone medulla, as produced in Uruguay, can be considered as a suitable lipid source for diets of laying hens, to modify the nutritional composition of the eggs in n − 3 PUFA content, especially DHA, and consequently, the n − 6/n − 3 fatty acid ratio.     

Tocopherols, Retinol and Carotenes in Chicken Egg and Tissues as Influenced by Dietary Palm Oil

Incorporation of palm oil (PO) increased the α-and γ-tocotrienol content of eggs, liver, meat and adipose tissue. Total tocotrienols were higher in eggs, liver and adipose tissue of hens fed 1.5% PO than those fed 3.5% PO. An increase in retinol was observed in the eggs, liver and dark meat of hens fed PO diet. Feeding diets containing 1.5 or 3.5% PO increased the α-and β- carotenes in eggs and liver tissue. However, carotenoids were not detected in white meat, dark meat or adipose tissue. Dark meat incorporated higher levels of tocopherols and retinol than white meat. The diets had no effect on egg or yolk weight. Egg yolks from hens fed PO had higher yolk color than those without PO. Addition of tocopherol mix in the control diet increased total tocopherol content in all tissues.     

Omega‐3 Fatty Acid Profile of Eggs from Laying Hens Fed Diets Supplemented with Chia,Fish Oil,and Flaxseed

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of diets supplemented with fish oil, flaxseed, and chia seed on the omega‐3 fatty acid composition and sensory properties of hens’ eggs. No significant difference in yolk fat content was found between treatments. The fatty acid composition of egg yolk was significantly affected by the dietary treatments. Inclusion of chia at 300 g/kg into the diet produced eggs with the highest concentration of omega‐3 fatty acid. Eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were only detected in eggs from laying hens fed the diet supplemented with fish oil. Diet had a significant effect on color, flavor and overall acceptability of eggs. Types and levels of omega‐3 fatty acids in feed influence the level of yolk omega‐3 fatty acids in egg yolk. Inclusion of chia into the hens’ diet significantly increased the concentration of yolk omega‐3 fatty acid without significant change in sensory properties.     

COMPARISON OF FROZEN, FOAM-SPRAY-DRIED, FREEZE-DRIED AND SPRAY-DRIED EGGS

SUMMARY —Coagulation patterns of slurries prepared with milk and frozen, foam-spray-, freeze-and spray-dried whole eggs, yolks and albumen were studied. All slurries were heated and stirred at constant rates using a Brabender Visco/Amylo/Graph. Ranked in order of initial gelation temperatures were slurries prepared with frozen, freeze-, spray- and foam-spray-dried whole eggs. Slurries prepared with frozen yolks or albumen showed initial gelation at lower temperatures than those prepared with dried yolks or albumen. Viscosity data indicate detrimental effects of drying to gelation properties of whole eggs, yolks and albumen.     

Deposition of Carotenoids in Eggs from Hens Fed Diets Containing Saponified and Unsaponified Oleoresin Paprika

Deposition of carotenoids in saponified paprika (SP) and unsaponified oleoresin paprika (OP) in egg yolks as well as the dietary level for desired pigmentation were evaluated. Sixty-four hens on a carotenoid-depletion diet were divided into two replicated groups of each of eight dietary treatments containing from 0 to 16 mg paprika carotenoids per kg feed. Colour and the carotenoid content of egg yolk increased linearly ( P< 0·01) with the amounts of paprika carotenoids in the diets. The colours of egg yolks from hens fed similar concentra-tions of OP or SP were not significantly different ( P< 0·01). A low dose (4 mg kg⁻¹) of OP or SP provided yolk colour equivalent to the colour of eggs in supermarkets. High-performance liquid chromatographic analyses showed that carotenoids deposited in the yolk are in the free alcohol form, regardless of the form of carotenoids in the diet. Capsanthin, the predominant carotenoid in paprika, was deposited in egg yolk less efficiently than zeaxanthin and lutein.     

Fatty acid profile and sensory characteristics of table eggs from laying hens fed hempseed and hempseed oil

Hempseed (HS) is rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, with approximately 17% of total fatty acids as alpha-linolenic acid. As such, HS and its oil may be used in hen diet formulations to produce eggs enriched in essential fatty acids. Because omega-3 eggs have the potential for unpleasant aromas and flavors, the current study was designed to assess the fatty acid profile and sensory attributes of eggs procured from hens consuming diets containing hempseed oil (HO) or HS. A total of 48 individually caged White Bovan hens received 1 of 6 diets containing 4%, 8%, 12% HO, 10%, 20% HS or 0% hemp (w/w) for 12 wk. Total omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content was highest in the 12% HO group (15.3 mg/g of yolk) compared to the control (2.4 mg/g of yolk). Trained panellists (n= 8) found no significant differences (P≥ 0.05) in aroma or flavor between cooked eggs from different dietary treatments, with the exception of sweet flavor. The 4% HO group yielded the least sweet eggs compared to the 20% HS group, which was highest. For yolk color, L*, a*, and b* values (Mean ± SEM) for control eggs were 61.2 ± 0.10, 1.1 ± 0.05, and 43.0 ± 0.22, respectively. Addition of hemp led to significant (P < 0.001) reductions in L*, and significant increases in a* and b*, with the largest changes observed in the 20% HS treatment (L*= 58.7 ± 0.10; a*= 5.8 ± 0.05; b*= 60.5 ± 0.22). The results show that hemp use in hen diets leads to increased omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content and color intensity of egg yolks, but does not have adverse effects on the sensory profiles of the cooked eggs. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study provides evidence that HS and hempseed oil (HO) can safely be utilized as feed ingredients for laying hens to produce table eggs that are enriched in essential fatty acids. Additionally, the eggs procured from these hens had similar aroma and flavor compared to eggs from hens not fed any hemp. The greater the dietary hemp inclusion, the more pigmented the resulting yolks became in terms of darkness, redness, and yellowness.     

Enrichment of eggs in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids by feeding hens with different amount of linseed oil in diet

The production of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid enriched eggs by addition of linseed oil to the laying hens' diet has been evaluated in terms of production parameters and n-6/n-3 ratio. A total of 150 18weeks old Lohmann Brown laying hens were housed in cages and fed with basal diet and four experimental diets containing 1%, 2%, 3% or 4% of linseed oil added to the basal diet. The effect of the altered level of linseed oil on hens laying performance, fatty acid content and composition and cholesterol content in egg yolk has been evaluated during 13weeks of experiment. Egg weight, yolk fat content, yolk weight, yolk percentage and shape index were not influenced by dietary treatment. The ratio between n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in eggs decreased in first 5weeks and then remained stable until the end of the experiment for all experimental groups. Different contents of linseed oil in feed highly influenced the n-6/n-3 ratio (P<0.0001). Addition of linseed oil did not influence the cholesterol content in yolks (P=0.5200) while the only factor affecting the cholesterol content was the hens age (P<0.0001).     

Free aromatic amino acids in egg yolk show antioxidant properties

Laying hens are known to be able to “bio-convert” health-promoting components from the diet into eggs. Wheat and corn are important sources of antioxidant phenolics in the human diet. Given the fact that wheat and corn are major feed ingredients of laying hens in Canada, the objectives of this study were to characterise the presence of novel phenolic compounds in egg yolk and to determine the effect of cooking methods on their content and activity. The total phenolic content of yolk extracts was 3.83 and 3.49 μmol gallic acid equivalents/g dry yolk for wheat-based and corn-based yolks, respectively. Antioxidant properties of yolk extracts were measured by the ORAC, DPPH and ABTS assays. ORAC values were 151.1 ± 26.1 and 155.9 ± 9.5 μmol TE/g for wheat-based and corn-based yolks, respectively. All cooking methods significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the antioxidant values. Ferulic acid was detected in trace amounts and no other phenolic compounds were found. However, tryptophan and tyrosine were found to be two main contributors to the antioxidant property of egg yolk. The contents of total free amino acids were 10081.0 and 10009.5 μg/g in wheat-based and corn-based yolks, respectively; cooking methods were found to reduce significantly the amount of free amino acids.     

Effect of grass–clover forage and whole‐wheat feeding on the sensory quality of eggs

BACKGROUND: A sensory panel evaluated the sensory profile of eggs from hens from three experimental systems: (1) an indoor system × normal layer diet (InL), (2) a grass–clover forage system × normal layer diet (GrL), and (3) a grass–clover forage system × whole wheat and oyster shells (GrW). RESULTS: The taste of the albumen was significantly more ‘watery’ and the yolks a darker yellow/orange in the eggs from the GrL and GrW groups. The yolk was darkest from the GrW group. The yolks from the InL and GrW groups had a significantly more ‘fresh’, less ‘animal’, ‘cardboard’, and ‘intense’ aroma than the GrL group. The taste of the yolks from the InL and GrW groups was significantly more ‘fresh’ and less ‘cardboard’‐like compared to the GrL group. The yolks tasted significantly less ‘sulfurous’ in the GrW group than in the GrL group. CONCLUSION: The combination of a high feed intake from a grass–clover pasture and the type of feed allocated is an important factor in relation to the sensory quality of eggs. Thus, a less favourable sensory profile of eggs was found from hens on a grass–clover pasture and fed a normal layer diet. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Lipid,fatty acid and carotenoid content of edible egg yolks from avian species: A comparative study

A comparative study has been conducted of the major lipid classes composition, as well as the fatty acid and carotenoid content in the yolk of conventional eggs from five avian species (ostrich, turkey, quail, duck and goose); the nutritional indices were calculated. The neutral lipids were the major yolk fractions but their proportions varied among species. All yolks and especially ostrich’s yolk were found to be an excellent source of dietary lecithin. Quail yolk displayed the lowest fat and cholesterol content and the lowest values for the cholesterol index (CI) and cholesterol-saturated fat index (CSI). It is therefore more appropriate for a healthier diet. Turkey and goose yolks contained significantly (P < 0.05) higher ω-3 fatty acid proportion and ω-6/ω-3 ratio. The turkey yolk was characterised by the lowest AI and TI values, which are recommended for a healthy diet. Quail yolk lipids contained a favourable PUFA/SFA ratio. All the examined yolks contained highly bioavailable functional nutrients, such as lutein and zeaxanthin.     

Texture and Microstructure of Cooked Whole Egg Yolks and Heat-Formed Gels of Stirred Egg Yolk

Hardness, cohesiveness, and springiness of heated intact egg yolks were determined by an Instron compression test. Hardness increased as temperature was increased from 75° to 90°C and as time of heating was increased from 10 to 30 min. Cohesiveness and springiness increased as temperature was increased from 75° to 80°C and as time was increased from 10 to 30 min. Egg yolks from cooked shell eggs were lower in all textural parameters than gels formed from stirred egg yolk. Low scores for cohesiveness and springiness were indicative of the crumbliness of yolk from cooked shell eggs; crumbliness was attributed to structural characteristics. The microstructure consisted of adjoining polyhedral grains, which showed no evidence of crosslinking. Grains appeared to be equivalent to yolk spheres, ranging in size from 40 to 100 μm. The structure of a stirred yolk gel consisted of a highly crosslinked protein matrix containing spheres (5–35 μm) and granules (l–2 μm).     

Species‐specific differences in the fatty acid profiles of the lipids of the yolk and of the liver of the chick

Differences between four avian species of commercial importance (chicken, turkey, duck and goose), in terms of the relationship between the dietary fatty acids supplied in the diet of the layers and the fatty acid composition of the egg yolk lipids, were investigated. Laying hens of the four species were provided with diets with very similar fatty acid compositions. The polyunsaturated fatty acid content of the diets consisted of linoleic and α‐linolenic acids at approximately 50% and 6% (w/w of total fatty acids), respectively, for all four species. In spite of the very similar dietary provision of fatty acids, the subsequent fatty acid profiles of the yolk lipids differed markedly between the four species. In particular, the proportion of docosahexaenoic acid in the total lipid of the yolk was three to five times greater for the chicken compared to the other three species. By contrast, the proportion of arachidonic acid in total yolk lipid was approximately two times greater for the goose and duck than for the chicken and turkey. Thus the chicken was more efficient at incorporating long‐chain (C₂₂ ) fatty acid of the n‐3 series into yolk lipid whereas the duck and goose preferentially incorporated C₂₀ fatty acid of the n‐6 series. The turkey eggs contained a similar proportion of arachidonic acid but less docosahexaenoic acid than the chicken eggs. The main differences between the avian species in terms of the yolk levels of C_{20 –22} polyunsaturated fatty acids were in the phospholipid fraction since only low levels of these fatty acids were present in the triacylglycerol fraction. The relative proportions of docosahexaenoic acid in the phospholipid and triacylglycerol fractions of the livers of the newly‐hatched chicks of the four species reflected the differences displayed by the yolks. The proportions of arachidonic acid in these liver lipid fractions, however, did not reflect the species differences in yolk lipid composition. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

DHA营养强化鸡蛋与普通鸡蛋蛋黄脂质组成对比分析

以DHA营养强化鸡蛋及普通鸡蛋为原料,将鸡蛋煮熟后取出蛋黄,以体积比2∶1的氯仿-甲醇提取其中的脂质,分析总脂质含量、磷脂含量、总脂质的脂肪酸组成、磷脂的脂肪酸组成及分布以及中性脂(甘三酯和甘二酯)的脂肪酸组成及分布。结果表明:DHA营养强化鸡蛋蛋黄中的总脂质含量((29.28±1.70)%)与普通鸡蛋((32.46±0.34)%)无显著性差异(P> 0.05),总脂质中磷脂含量((102.13±1.57) mg/g)与普通鸡蛋((96.44±2.44) mg/g)无显著性差异(P> 0.05),DHA营养强化鸡蛋总脂质中DHA含量((11.14±0.18)%)远超普通鸡蛋((0.14±0.00)%),且DHA在磷脂中的含量((13.60±0.64)%)高于总脂质,在甘三酯((5.09±0.18)%)及甘二酯((1.88±1.13)%)等中性脂中含量较少;从空间位置分布来看,DHA在磷脂中各位置的分布无显著性差异,且DHA营养强化鸡蛋具有更佳的ω-3/ω-6比值。     

Effects of Vitamin D3‐Enriched Diet on Egg Yolk Vitamin D3 Content and Yolk Quality

A 40‐wk experiment was conducted using Hy‐Line W‐36 laying hens (19‐wk old) to investigate the impact of feeding cholecalciferol‐enriched diets on egg yolk quality. Feeds were enriched with 4 cholecalciferol levels, 9700 (diet 2), 17200 (diet 3), 24700 (diet 4), and 102200 (diet 5) IU/kg feed. The control (diet 1) contained 2200 IU cholecalciferol/kg feed. Eggs from each replicate group of enriched diets were collected daily and the yolks were pooled into 2‐d period during the first 2 wk. During weeks 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, and 40, pooled samples were generated by daily collection of 3 consecutive days of egg production. The cholecalciferol content of egg yolk from the enriched diets increased rapidly during the first 3 wk. The peak cholecalciferol concentrations in egg yolk that occurred at week 3 were 865, 1641, 2411, and 34815 IU/100 g egg yolk (wet basis) from diet 2 to 5. The average cholecalciferol concentration in yolk during weeks 3 to 40 and the deposition rate of cholecalciferol during the first 3 wk were both linearly increased with the dietary cholecalciferol level when the feed contained no more than 24700 IU/kg cholecalciferol. Egg yolk lipid profile (total lipid content, fatty acid composition, phospholipid composition, and unsaponifiables), physical and functional properties (yolk viscosity and emulsifying property), and sensory quality of hard‐boiled egg yolk were not affected by the cholecalciferol enrichment in the feed. Practical Application: A linear dose‐response relationship between dietary vitamin D₃ level and egg yolk vitamin D₃ content was established at relatively low enrichment levels. Such relationship can be used to formulate feed to achieve a target egg vitamin D level. High vitamin D yolk showed no difference from the conventional yolk in other compositional, functional, and sensory properties.     

Growth of Salmonella enteritidis in yolk from eggs laid by immunized hens

After hyperimmunization of laying hens with Salmonella enteritidis, antibodies can be found in egg yolks. This study was conducted to ascertain whether the growth of S. enteritidis would be suppressed in the presence of antibodies contained in egg yolk. Specifically pathogen-free (SPF)-laying hens were immunized with S. enteritidis; eggs were collected, the yolk was separated and the concentration of S. enteritidis antibodies was determined quantitatively by using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the radial immunodiffusion and the bicinchoninic acid protein assay. Then, the yolk was inoculated with approximately 10, 100 or 1000 S. enteritidis cells/ml and incubated at 15, 20 and 30 degrees C for 0, 2, 6 and 24 h. The growth of organisms in each yolk was examined, and the generation times were calculated. The egg yolk from nonimmunized hens served as negative control. The highest level of antibody concentration was found in the hyperimmunized group. There was no difference in the generation times of S. enteritidis between the antibody-positive yolk and the negative yolk at the three different incubation temperatures. The results suggest that antibodies in the yolk do not influence the growth of S. enteritidis, even if the hens are highly immunized.     

多不饱和脂肪酸在鸡蛋蛋黄中的富集作用

日粮中脂肪酸的含量会影响蛋黄中脂肪酸的组成和含量。在产蛋鸡的日粮中分别添加10%的黄粉虫,10%的紫苏籽,10%的亚麻籽,5%的黄粉虫,5%黄粉虫+5%紫苏籽,5%黄粉虫+5%亚麻籽,研究多不饱和脂肪酸在青壳鸡蛋蛋黄中的富集作用。结果表明:与对照组相比,添加10%黄粉虫和5%黄粉虫+5%紫苏籽的试验组中,蛋黄脂肪酸和胆固醇含量显著变化,明显改善了蛋黄中多不饱和脂肪酸和饱和脂肪酸的比例,同时,ω-6/ω-3发生变化,说明通过改善日粮中脂肪酸的含量和组成,可在蛋黄中富集多不饱和脂肪酸。     

Amino acid pattern in eggs as influenced by supplementation of dopamine agonists and antagonists in laying hens

A total of thirty laying hens divided into 3 equal groups was used. The 1st group served as control and was fed a basal ration. The 2nd and 3rd groups received L-Dopa and reserpine, respectively. The goal of the study was devoted to determine the effects of these additives on the rate of egg production, weights of eggs and yolks as well as yolk proteins and their amino acid pattern. In the reserpine-treated hens the rate of egg production was increased whereas in the L-Dopa-treated group, the weights of eggs and yolks, food intake as well as the amino acids aspartate, glutamate, glycine, alanine and methionine were significantly increased. The levels of tyrosine and histidine were decreased in both treatments while methionine was decreased by reserpine only. The addition of dopamine antagonist to a ration containing lysine and leucine in concentrations of 0.55% and 0.9% did not influence their levels in eggs. The increment of methionine, aspartate, glutamate and glycine by the dopamine agonist and their decrease by antagonist revealed that these amino acids are excitatory neurotransmitters in brain.     

The residue levels of narasin in eggs of laying hens fed with unmedicated and medicated feed

Laying hens were fed contaminated feed containing narasin 2.5 mg/kg for 21 days followed by a 7 day withdrawal period, hens in the control group were fed unmedicated feed. Eggs were collected during trial days 0, 3, 7, 14, 21 and after the withdrawal period of 7 days. The concentration of narasin in yolks and egg whites was analyzed by a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Narasin was found to accumulate in yolks, where the narasin concentration increased during the treatment. The concentration of narasin varied from 5.9 to 13.8 microg/kg (mean 10.6 microg/kg) in yolks after 21 day feeding periods. The concentrations of narasin ranged from < 0.9 to 1.4 microg/kg after the withdrawal period. Narasin residues were not found in egg whites of the laying hens fed contaminated feed nor in either yolks or egg whites of the laying hens fed unmedicated feed. The effect of cooking was also tested on the amount of narasin residues in eggs. Cooking for 10 min did not significantly influence the narasin residues in eggs. Traces of lasalocid were also found in the yolks. The traces of lasalocid are attributable to an accidental contamination of the feed during its manufacture.