Abstract
The chicken egg is one of nature’s flawlessly preserved biological products, recognized as an excellent source of nutrients for humans. Selenium (Se) is an essential micro-element that plays a key role in biological processes. Organic selenium can be produced biologically by the microbial reduction of inorganic Se (sodium selenite). Therefore, the possibility of integrating Se enriched bacteria as a supplement in poultry feed can provide an interesting source of organic Se, thereby offering health-related advantages to humans. In this study, bacterial selenoproteins from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was used as a dietary supplement with other Se sources in Lohman brown Classic laying hens to study the egg yolk color, egg yolk and breast antioxidant profile, oxidative stability, and storage effect for fresh and stored egg yolk at 4 ± 2 °C for 14-days. The results showed that dietary Se supplementation significantly (p < 0.05) improved egg yolk color, the antioxidant profile of egg yolk, and breast meat (total carotenoid and phenol content). When the Se treated groups were compared to control groups, there was a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in total cholesterol in fresh and stored egg yolk and breast muscle. In hens that were fed ADS18-Se, the primary oxidation products (MDA) concentrations in the eggs, breast, and thigh muscle, and plasma were significantly (p < 0.05) lower. However, the MDA content increased (p < 0.05) with an extended storage time in egg yolk. In comparison to inorganic Se and basal diets, egg yolk from hens fed organic Se remained fresh for two weeks. The egg yolk color, antioxidant profile, and oxidative status of egg yolk and tissue improve with dietary Se organic supplementation (ADS18 > Se-Yeast). The source of supplemented organic Se is critical for egg enrichment and antioxidant properties. As a result, ‘‘functional eggs’’ enriched with organic Se becomes possible to produce.
Highlights
Shell eggs [1] are among the few foods that are consumed by people of all ages, regardless of religion or ethnicity worldwide [2]
For fresh and stored egg yolk, a significant (p < 0.05) difference was observed in the group supplemented with organic Se source, ADS18 when compared to inorganic and unsupplemented hens
The redness (a*) of the egg yolk color was unaffected by the basal or the Se supplemented diets, while organic (Se-Yeast or ADS18) Se-fed hens had a slightly higher redness (a*)
Summary
Shell eggs [1] are among the few foods that are consumed by people of all ages, regardless of religion or ethnicity worldwide [2]. Weggemans et al [7] reported an increase in blood cholesterol concentration, which was believed to be the result of high egg intake and which may contribute to various cardiovascular risks. Since the scientific evidence linking dietary cholesterol (from eggs) to the risk of cardiovascular diseases is more or less insubstantial, Qureshi et al [8] found no correlation between egg intake and increase in blood cholesterol concentrations, implying that the cardiovascular risk is largely dependent on increase in serum total and LDLcholesterol [8]. The chicken egg is considered as a functional food with an edible portion made up of water (74%), high-quality proteins (12%), lipids (12% of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and phospholipids), carbohydrate (
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