Abstract
The aim of this study was to apply an untargeted NMR and LC-MS-based metabolomics approach to detect potential differences between an organically and a conventionally produced feed, which caused statistically significant differences in growth, in the response to an immunological challenge and in the gene expression profiles in the small intestine of laying hens. A fractionation procedure was set up to create multiple fractions of the feed, which were subsequently analysed by NMR and UPLC-TOF/MS operating in positive mode. Comparison of the profiles revealed that the most apparent differences came from the isoflavones in the soy as well as a compound with a molecular mass of 441.202 (M + 1)+, which was identified as N,N′-diferuloylputrescine (DFP) and came from the corn. Whether the observed differences in effects are due to the higher levels of isoflavones and DFP is unclear, as is the fact whether the observed differences are typical for organic or conventional produced corn and soy. However, this study shows that this metabolomics approach is suitable for detecting potential differences between products, even in levels of compounds that would have been overlooked with a more targeted approach. As such, the method is suitable for a more systematic study on differences between conventionally and organically produced food.
Highlights
There is an increasing interest in products that are organically produced
Potential differences in primary and secondary plant metabolites w are of interest since some of these compounds may affect human health in a positive or
This paper has shown that the chemical fingerprinting of the ingredients and chicken feed is a powerful tool for detecting potential differences between samples, of different composition (ST, L & grower feed (GR)) and of different origin
Summary
There is an increasing interest in products that are organically produced. Major reasons are the care for animals, the environment, and the potential benefits for the health of the consumer (Finamore et al, 2004; Rembialkowska, 2007; Givens et al, 2008). A ee large number of studies (Rembialkowska, 2007; Baker et al, 2002; Jestoi et al, 2004; Hoogenboom et al, 2008) have addressed the latter issue, focusing e.g. on differences in the residues of compounds used during production, like pesticides and veterinary drugs, and on mycotoxins and environmental contaminants. Potential differences in primary and secondary plant metabolites w are of interest since some of these compounds may affect human health in a positive or. A dilemma in all these studies is how to relate the composition of the agricultural product to health aspects. An approach based on the profiling of extracts may be a good way for searching for and locating potential differences, and for correlating differences to health claims. Various examples of metabolomics studies on plants are available in the literature (Le Gall et al, 2003; Noteborn et al, 1998; 2000; Tikunov et al, 2005), showing the opportunities of this
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