This study was undertaken to examine the effects that consumption of eggs from hens fed diets containing flaxseed would have on plasma and platelet lipids of male volunteers. Feeding diets containing ...0%, 10%, and 20% ground flaxseed to Leghorn pullets provided a marked progressive increase in n-3 fatty acid content as alpha-linolenic acid (alpha-LNA) (28, 261, and 527 mg/egg) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (51, 81, and 87 mg/egg) but no alteration in the cholesterol concentration of the egg yolk. Twenty-eight male volunteers, divided into three groups, were fed four eggs per day for 2 wk according to a cyclic Latin-square design. No statistically significant changes were observed in total cholesterol, high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, or plasma triglyceride concentrations. Significant increases in total n-3 fatty acids and in DHA content (which rose from 1.5 to 2.0% by wt or 33% overall), and a significant decrease in ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids were found in platelet phospholipids of subjects consuming eggs from flaxseed-fed hens. Health and Welfare Canada in 1990 set recommended intakes for dietary n-3 fatty acids and for the ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids, which are not being met currently by the overall population. Eggs modified by the inclusion of flaxseed in the laying hens' diet could provide an important nutritional source of n-3 fatty acid.
ABSTRACT
Lutein and zeaxanthin are commonly referred to as the macular carotenoids, as they are localized to ocular tissues and their loss is associated with age‐related macular degeneration. High ...carotenoid eggs have been suggested as a good dietary source of macular carotenoids, particularly lutein. In this paper we demonstrate two key proof of concept steps: transferring the high carotenoid phenotype to elite inbred backgrounds and carotenoid enrichment of eggs through feeding high carotenoid maize (Zea mays L.) grain to laying hens (Gallus domesticus). Using two inbred backgrounds and three high carotenoid donor lines, BC1S2 lines were developed with selections made based solely on visual assessment of kernel color. The 20‐wk laying hen feeding trial consisted of four complete diets that varied for the maize component (i.e., a high‐zeaxanthin maize line, a high‐lutein maize line, and a conventional yellow maize line with and without a commercial lutein Oro‐glo supplement) with eggs samples collected every 4 wk. High‐carotenoid maize diet treatments yielded carotenoid concentrations in egg yolks that were approximately fourfold higher than those achieved with the conventional maize feed control and were found to be equally available to the laying hen as a lutein feed additive used as a positive control. While phenotyping by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) cannot be completely eliminated, visual selection increases the proportion of high‐carotenoid phenotypes and it appears that transferring the high carotenoid phenotype into elite inbred lines is relatively straightforward.
We tested the hypothesis that poultry by-product meal would produce a thermogenic response (an increased requirement for oxygen) resulting in an increased incidence of pulmonary hypertension with ...right ventricular failure and ascites in commercial broiler chickens.Four treatment groups, each with three replicates of 40 chicks, were fed a commercial broiler starter to day 21, grower to day 35, and the following experimental diets after day 35: group 1, commercial chicken broiler finisher; group 2, commercial chicken broiler finisher with poultry by-product meal added to replace part of the soyabean meal; group 3, commercial chicken broiler finisher with poultry fat added to replace the animal-vegetable (AV) fat; group 4, commercial chicken broiler finisher with both poultry by-product meal and poultry fat added to replace soyabean meal and AV fat. On day 35, pen temperature was reduced to 15 degrees C, and on day 42 to 12 degrees C.Mortality from ascites between days 35 and 56 was 11(9%) in group 2, 5(4%) in group 4 and 3(2.5%) in groups 1 and 3 The incidence of pulmonary hypertension, as measured by an increased right ventricle: total ventricle (RV:TV) ratio (RV:TV > 0.249) at processing on day 57, was higher in the groups receiving poultry by-product and poultry fat: 27(22.5%) in group 2, 26(21.7%) in group 3, and 20(16.7%) in group 4 compared to that of the controls 12(10%).
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of consuming a novel docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-enriched shell egg on the serum lipid levels and
ω
−
3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (
n
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3 ...PUFA) of serum phospholipid in statin-treated hypercholesterolemic patients. Fifteen subjects were randomly divided into two treatment groups and consumed either two control or two novel DHA-enriched eggs during two organized breakfast periods of 21 consecutive days each using a double-blinded, cross-over design. The novel enriched eggs from feeding the specialty ration provided 217
mg of DHA and 629
mg of total
n
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3 PUFA per day. Total serum cholesterol levels were unchanged with either egg consumption and no significant alterations in lipid levels were found due to a treatment effect. The novel egg group exhibited a significant rise in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus DHA levels in serum phospholipid (by 23%) which can be related to a reduced risk for fatal ischemic heart disease. Consumption of this novel egg offers an alternative food option for more than doubling current sub-optimal DHA intakes in North America.
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