Dietary stinging nettle () improves carotenoids content in laying hen egg yolk.

1. This study assessed the addition of dried stinging nettle (SN) leaves at 0%, 2.5% and 5.

Three inhibitory phenolic acids against common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) had a minimal effect on maize growth in vitro and in vivo.

With the increasing demand for non-chemical weed control methods, phenolic acids have shown promise due to their natural weed inhibitory potential. In this study, the inhibitory effect of ferulic acid, vanillic acid and p-coumaric acid was investigated on Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. and the selectivity of Zea mays L.

The Nutritional Potential of Avocado By-Products: A Focus on Fatty Acid Content and Drying Processes.

The aim of this study was to analyze the content of fatty acids and tocopherols in various components (pulp, seeds, peel) of avocado (), which are often neglected as by-products. In addition, the effects of different drying processes on these components were investigated and the health benefits of the main fatty acids contained in avocados were highlighted. The samples were subjected to three drying processes: hot air (HAD), vacuum (VD), and hot-air microwave (HAMD).

Carotenoid deposition in yolks of laying hens fed with corn diets differing in grain hardness and supplemented with rapeseed oil and emulsifier.

This study investigated the effects of supplementing diets consisting of two dent corn hybrids (soft- and hard-type) with different amounts of rapeseed oil (2, 3, and 4%) and with (0.05%) or without emulsifier (Lysoforte Extended, Kemin) on the content and deposition of carotenoids in egg yolk. The feeding trial was conducted with 216 Lohmann Brown laying hens which were by 3 located in 72 cages.

Carotenoid content and deposition efficiency in yolks of laying hens fed with dent corn hybrids differing in grain hardness and processing.

Yolk carotenoid profile reflects the hen diet when corn grain is the only source of carotenoids, but corn origin and processing may affect carotenoid utilization. In the present study, 2 commercial dent corn hybrids differing in grain hardness (soft- and hard-type) were dried at low (40°C) and high (85°C) temperature and ground through a 5- and 9-mm sieve to investigate their effects on carotenoid bioavailability in laying hens. With 3 hens per cage, 168 Lohmann Brown laying hens were allocated to 8 dietary treatments (2 hybrids × 2 drying temperatures × 2 grinding sieves) in a completely randomized design (8 treatments × 7 cages).

Effects of Animal Diet and Processing Methods on the Quality Traits of Dry-Cured Ham Produced from Turopolje Pigs.

The Turopolje pig (TP) is a local Croatian pig breed that almost became extinct in the second half of the 20th century. Today, the TP is still endangered, and a new conservation strategy based on products with higher added value is needed to preserve the breed. There is little information on the quality of TP meat products such as smoked and dry-cured ham, including the impact of natural feeds or processing innovations such as smoke reduction.

Carotenoid degradation rate in milled grain of dent maize hybrids and its relationship with the grain physicochemical properties.

Carotenoids in maize grain degrade during storage, but the relationship between their stability and the physicochemical properties of the grain is unclear. Therefore, the carotenoid degradation rate in milled grain of three dent hybrids differing in grain hardness was evaluated at various temperatures (-20, 4 and 22 °C). The carotenoid degradation rate was calculated using first-order kinetics based on the content in the samples after 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, 56, 70 and 90 days of storage and related to the physicochemical properties of the grain.

Genetic Variability in Carotenoid Contents in a Panel of Genebank Accessions of Temperate Maize from Southeast Europe.

Carotenoids are an abundant group of lipid-soluble antioxidants in maize kernels. Maize is a key target crop for carotenoid biofortification focused on using conventional plant breeding in native germplasm of temperate areas traced back partially to traditional cultivars (landraces). In this study, the objectives were to determine the variability of lutein (LUT), zeaxanthin (ZEA), α-cryptoxanthin (αCX), β-cryptoxanthin (βCX), α-carotene (αC), and β-carotene (βC) contents in the grain of 88 accessions of temperate maize from the Croatian genebank, and to evaluate the relationships among the contents of different carotenoids as well as the relationships between kernel color and hardness and carotenoid content.

Feeding Black Pepper () or Exogenous Xylanase Improves the Blood Lipid Profile of Broiler Chickens Fed Wheat-Based Diets.

This study aimed to determine the impact of dietary black peppercorn (BP) and xylanase (XYL) alone or in combination on growth performance, dietary energy, nutrient digestibility and blood lipid profile when fed to male Ross 308 broiler chickens from the ages of 7 to 21 d. A wheat-soy-based basal feed that was formulated to be 0.42 MJ lower in metabolizable energy (ME) was mixed.

Kernel properties related to carotenoid release during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion in commercial dent maize hybrids.

The objective of study was to investigate the relationships between maize kernel properties and carotenoid release during simulated gastrointestinal digestion of 103 hybrids of dent type. Commercial maize hybrids significantly differed in kernel hardness, chemical composition and carotenoid profile. Across all hybrids, the amount of digestible individual carotenoids increased as follows: β-carotene < α-cryptoxanthin < β-cryptoxanthin < lutein < zeaxanthin.

Bioaccessibility of Tocols in Commercial Maize Hybrids Determined by an In Vitro Digestion Model for Poultry.

Despite the high proportion of maize grain in animal diets, the contribution made by maize phytochemicals is neglected. Tocols and their contribution to the vitamin E content of animal diets are one example, exacerbated by sparse information on the tocol bioaccessibility of commercial hybrids. In this study, the contents of individual and total tocols and their bioaccessibility were determined in the grain samples of 103 commercial hybrids using a standardized INFOGEST digestion procedure.

Feeding dihydroquercetin in wheat-based diets to laying hens: impact on egg production and quality of fresh and stored eggs.

1. This study assessed the impact of dietary dihydroquercetin (DHQ) in wheat-based diets on egg production, composition and quality when fed to laying hens. A total of 80 Hy-Line Brown hens were allocated to 20 enriched layer cages, over two tiers, in groups of four birds.

Stevia () Improves Carotenoid Content in Eggs When Fed to Laying Hens.

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a shrub with leaves that have a high concentration of carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin. Egg yolks are a bioavailable source of lutein and zeaxanthin. The consumption of these carotenoids has been linked with improved human health.

Selected Phenolic Acids Inhibit the Initial Growth of L.

This study aimed to investigate whether different doses of specific phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, -hydroxybenzoic acid, syringic acid, vanillic acid, and -coumaric acid), alone or in combination, can inhibit the early growth of the common ragweed ( L., Asterales: Asteraceae). A seed bioassay was performed in Petri dishes and placed in a climate chamber to assess the effects of five dose levels of phenolic acids to radicle and shoot length, as well seedling biomass of .

European Database of Carotenoid Levels in Foods. Factors Affecting Carotenoid Content.

Many studies indicate that diets including carotenoid-rich foods have positive effects on human health. Some of these compounds are precursors of the essential nutrient vitamin A. The present work is aimed at implementing a database of carotenoid contents of foods available in the European market.

Plant Carotenoids as Pigment Sources in Laying Hen Diets: Effect on Yolk Color, Carotenoid Content, Oxidative Stability and Sensory Properties of Eggs.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a supplementation diet for hens consisting of dried basil herb and flowers of calendula and dandelion for color, carotenoid content, iron-induced oxidative stability, and sensory properties of egg yolk compared with commercial pigment (control) and marigold flower. The plant parts were supplemented in diets at two levels: 1% and 3%. In response to dietary content, yolks from all diets differed in carotenoid profile ( < 0.

Feeding dry stevia leaf (Stevia rebaudiana) or xylanase improves the hepatic antioxidative status of broiler chickens.

Four diets, formulated with and without stevia and with and without exogenous xylanase, following a 2 × 2 factorial design, were prepared. Each diet was fed ad libitum to birds in eight pens (three birds in each pen) in a randomised block design. It was found that birds fed xylanase grew faster, used the feed more efficiently and had an increased concentration of hepatic α-tocopherol and vitamin E concentrations (P < 0.

A comprehensive review on carotenoids in foods and feeds: , applications, patents, and research needs.

Carotenoids are isoprenoids widely distributed in foods that have been always part of the diet of humans. Unlike the other so-called food bioactives, some carotenoids can be converted into retinoids exhibiting vitamin A activity, which is essential for humans. Furthermore, they are much more versatile as they are relevant in foods not only as sources of vitamin A, but also as natural pigments, antioxidants, and health-promoting compounds.

Feeding dihydroquercetin and vitamin E to broiler chickens reared at standard and high ambient temperatures.

The use of natural antioxidants, in particular polyphenols such as dihydroquercetin (DHQ), in animal nutrition has recently increased in popularity. This may partly be due to the risk of increased incidences of heat stress associated with raising livestock in warmer ambient temperatures, facilitated by global warming, reducing antioxidant capacity. The current research demonstrates the effect of dietary DHQ, vitaminEand standard or high ambient temperatures on growth performance, energy and nutrient metabolism, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) development, jejunal villus morphometry and antioxidant status in broiler chickens.

Sensitivity of yellow foxtail (Setaria glauca L.) and barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli L.) to aqueous extracts or dry biomass of cover crops.

Background: The common weeds Echinochloa crus-galli L. and Setaria glauca L. were studied for their sensitivity to aqueous extracts or dry biomass of the following cover crops (CCs): Brassicaceae (Sinapis alba, Raphanus sativus var.

Effect of starch properties and zein content of commercial maize hybrids on kinetics of starch digestibility in an in vitro poultry model.

Background: The kinetics of starch digestion is a key determinant of poultry performance. Research so far has shown that starch digestibility kinetics depends on the molecular structure of starch but also on the properties of the complex matrix in which starch granules are embedded in most feedstuffs. However, the manner in which genotype differences in the same plant affect starch digestibility kinetics has not yet been addressed.

Fecal particle dry matter and fiber distribution of heifers fed ad libitum and restricted with low and high forage quality.

Wet sieving of manure can be used as a means of evaluating the nutrient utilization of diets by dairy cows. A commercially available system for this analysis (Nasco Digestion Analyzer, Nasco, Fort Atkinson, WI; NDA) employs principles of wet sieving for on-farm assessment. The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of diet manipulations and sampling techniques on fecal particle dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and starch distribution on NDA sieves.

Effect of forage to concentrate ratio with sorghum silage as a source of forage on rumen fermentation, N balance, and purine derivative excretion in limit-fed dairy heifers.

Sorghum silage has been shown to be a good alternative to corn silage for dairy cows; however, studies regarding heifers are insufficiently explored. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate effects of changing forage to concentrate ratio (FOR:CON) in diets based on sorghum silage on N digestibility, rumen fermentation, N balance, C excretion, and microbial N yield in limit-fed dairy heifers. A split-plot 4×4 Latin square design with 19-d periods (15 d of adaptation and 4 d of sampling) was conducted with 8 rumen cannulated dairy heifers (age 13.

Carotenoid content and antioxidant activity of hexane extracts from selected Croatian corn hybrids.

Carotenoids, which occur naturally in corn grains, have been associated with reduced risk of degenerative diseases. The aim of this research was to measure the carotenoid content of hexane extracts of six commercial high-yield corn hybrids and determine the relationship between carotenoid content and antioxidant activity. Levels of lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin and β-carotene in hexane extracts were determined using HPLC, and antioxidant activity was assayed using the TEAC system based on the 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical cation (ABTS(+)), and the TBARS system based on a linoleic acid emulsion.

Comparison of spectrophotometric and HPLC methods for determination of carotenoids in foods.

This report is aimed at intra-laboratory and inter-laboratory comparison of the results obtained during spectrophotometric and HPLC analyses of lycopene, β-carotene and total carotenoids in tomato products and yellow maize flours/grits. Extensive statistical analyses are performed in order to identify the main sources of uncertainties which may occur when using: (i) different techniques/methods/approaches in the same/different laboratories, in various food samples, and (ii) to indicate the facts/conditions under which the biases between results may remain unidentified after applying statistical testing. Our data points to the inertness of t-test to detect significance of differences, particularly at low R values: in general, the higher correlation coefficient, the higher is sensitivity of statistical testing, especially of the paired t-test.