Scholarly record

YOLK COLOUR AND CAROTENOID COMPOSITION OF THE EGGS PRODUCED BY LAYING HENS FED DIETS CONTAINING TOMATO PROCESSING WASTE

Nour Violeta, Panaite Tatiana Dumitra, Corbu Alexandru Radu, Vlaicu Petru Alexandru

Abstract

Egg yolk pigmentation is one of major quality attribute linked to consumer requirements concerning eggs. The colour of the egg yolk is a dietary response, depending on the levels of carotenoids present in the feed. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of feed supplementation with dried tomato waste in commercial laying hens on egg production, egg quality, egg yolk colour and carotenoid composition. The hens were fed the basal diet (BD) and the diet supplemented with 7,5% dried tomato waste (TWD). Identification and quantification of egg yolk carotenoids was performed by high performance liquid chromatography while yolk colour was scored using the Roche yolk colour fan. Daily feed intake and feed conversion significantly decreased while egg mass was not significantly affected by the addition of dried tomato waste to the hens' diet. Colour and carotenoid content of egg yolk were improved by addition of dried tomato waste in laying hens' diet. After six weeks, the total carotenoid contents of the egg yolks were 8.44 and 12.67 ?g/g while Roche yolk colour fan scores were 3.66 to 6.60 for the experimental groups fed with BD and TWD respectively.

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