Egg Yolks’ Enrichment in Carotenoids and Their Color Improvement through Bixa orellana Grains Incorporation in Laying Hens’ Diets

Abstract

Bixa orellana (Bo) grains were put into laying hens’ diets for carotenoid enrichment and improvement of egg yolk color. So, 90 -old Isa Brown of 22-week were divided into 6 groups. The different groups received diets consisting of 2 controls of 55.5%YC (yellow Corn), and 55.5% WC (white corn) and four (4) others diets, enriched with B. orellana grains for 0.5% (WC+0.5%Bo), 1% (WC+1%Bo), 1.25% (WC+1.25%Bo), 1.5% (WC+1.5%Bo). The experiment lasted 15 weeks, including 2 weeks for the adaptation phase and 13 weeks of data collection. It took place from April 24, 2023 to July 29, 2023. As a result, the number of collected eggs was 3580 eggs during the real experimental period and B. orellana grains had no adverse effect on hens’ laying rates. Moreover, diets with Bo had the best laying rate between 81.49 and 84.46%. Again, the eggs obtained with B. orellana diets weighed between 50.58 and 52.12 g, while those from 55.5%YC weighed and that of. The 55.5%WC diet obtained the smallest egg yolk with 11.54±0.17 g against 12.58±0.17g the heaviest in the WC+0.5%Bo diet. For coloration the b* component was higher in the B. orellana diets with 24.28±0.54 to 18.54±0.54. The WC+1.5%Bo diet had the highest color score with 11. The incorporation of B. orellana grains did not contribute to reducing total cholesterol in egg yolk. Carotenoid concentrations were higher in egg yolks of diets containing Bixa orellana grains from 18.21±0.41 to 20.90±0.41μg/g than 55.5%YC diet for 7.63±0.41μg/g and 0.31±0.1μg/g with 55.5%WC. In conclusion, WC+1.5%Bo diet could be considered as the best incorporation rate of Bixa orellana grains in a white corn-based diet. B. orellana grains used in diets allows enriching table eggs with carotenoids.