Dietary Supplementation with Microencapsulated Lutein Improves Yolk Color and Lutein Content in Fresh and Cooked Eggs of Laying Hens |
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| Authors: | Chao Wen Yue Su Zhengguo Tao Zongjia Cheng Di Zhou Tian Wang Yanmin Zhou |
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| Institution: | 1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China;2. Guangzhou Leader Bio-technology Co. Ltd, Guangzhou 510663, China;3. Zhejiang Medicine Co. Ltd, Xinchang Pharmaceutical Factory, Shaoxing 312500, China |
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| Abstract: | This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of diet supplemented with non-microencapsulated lutein (NL) and microencapsulated lutein (ML) in laying hens. A total of 270 Hy-line Brown laying hens (54 weeks old) were allocated to three groups with six replicates of 15 hens and were adapted to a wheat-soybean meal basal diet for two weeks. Next, the control birds were fed the basal diet, and the test birds were fed the basal diet supplemented with 600 mg/kg NL (12 mg/kg available lutein) or 90.1 mg/kg ML (10 mg/kg available lutein) for 35 days. Supplementation of lutein did not affect the productive performance of laying hens, but improved (P<0.05) the yolk color and red/green value (a*), with eggs from the ML group displaying improved color and a* values from the 15th day of the experimental period. The blue/yellow value (b*) for the yolk showed an increase (P<0.05) through both NL and ML supplements. The yolk color of fried and boiled eggs and a* value of the yolk in fried eggs were improved (P<0.05) only through ML supplemented diet. Both NL and ML supplements resulted in lower (P<0.05) lightness and higher (P<0.05) a* values of yolk in boiled eggs, as well as higher (P<0.05) b* values in fried and boiled eggs. Yolk lutein content in fresh, fried, and boiled eggs was increased (P<0.05) in NL and ML groups with the latter being higher. In conclusion, ML improved yolk pigmentation and lutein retention in laying hens better than NL. |
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| Keywords: | laying hen lutein microencapsulation yolk color |
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