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Thymol feed supplementation in quail alters the percentages of nutritionally relevant egg yolk fatty acids: effects throughout incubation
Author(s) -
Fernandez Maria E,
Marin Raul H,
Luna Agustin,
Zunino Maria P,
Labaque Maria C
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.8407
Subject(s) - polyunsaturated fatty acid , thymol , yolk , quail , biology , incubation , food science , arachidonic acid , docosahexaenoic acid , fatty acid , triglyceride , biochemistry , zoology , endocrinology , cholesterol , essential oil , enzyme
Abstract BACKGROUND Polyunsaturated fatty acids ( PUFA ) are crucial components of egg yolk and particularly prone to oxidative damage, generating losses of nutrients for embryonic development and influencing the quality of eggs for human consumption. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether dietary thymol (a natural antioxidant) is related to changes in quail egg yolk total (T), triglyceride ( TG ) and phospholipid ( PL ) fatty acid composition at different stages of embryo development. Thus female Japanese quail (100 days of age) were assigned to one of two dietary treatments (12 individuals each): CON (basal diet) or THY (0.0016 mol thymol day −1 per bird). After 2 weeks of supplementation, eggs were incubated and samples were obtained at 0, 4 and 16 days of embryonic development. RESULTS In 0 day THY eggs, α ‐linolenic acid and n ‐3 PUFA in T and TG , docosahexaenoic acid and PUFA in T and arachidonic acid in TG were increased, while saturated fatty acids ( SFA ) in T were reduced. From 4 days on, PUFA , n ‐3 PUFA and SFA from T and TG in THY eggs were found to be similar to those of CON eggs. The changes in PL throughout incubation were similar in both dietary treatments. CONCLUSION Thymol would provide the embryo with PUFA for synthesis/deposition in membranes and/or assign to supply energy. Additionally, thymol supplementation would be advisable for the production of healthier table eggs. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry