Supplemental Feeding of Laying Hens with Wood Vinegar to Decrease the Ratio of n-6 to n-3 Fatty Acids in Eggs

Abstract

A balanced ratio of fatty acids n-6 to n-3 in chicken eggs is important for health and to help prevent and manage obesity and other diseases. Traditionally, fish oil or flax seed has been utilized as feed additives to decrease the ratio of n-6 to n-3(n-6:n-3) fatty acids in eggs. The hull of spina date seed(HSDS) is a common agricultural waste product in China, from which wood vinegar(HSDSWV) may be derived. This study evaluated HSDSWV as a sup-plement in hen feeds to improve the quality of eggs and decrease the ratio of fatty acids n-6:n-3. HSDSWV was obtained via carbonization, and refined. Six concentrations(nil to 0.5%) of HSDSWV were prepared and fed to 6 hen groups, respectively, for 50 d. The fatty acids of the hen’s egg yolks were analyzed by gas chromatography/electron ionization-mass spectrometry(GC/EI-MS) in the selected ion monitoring(SIM) mode. The 0.2% HSDSWV resulted in the best egg yolk quality, with a lower percentage of linoleic acid(C18:2n6) and higher percentages of cis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid(C20:5n3) and cis-4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic acid(C22:6n3), and thus a lower n-6:n-3 ratio compared with the other HSDSWV concentrations. In addition, the eggs contained higher levels of yolk fat and egg yolk than the controls did. In conclusion, to modify the fatty acid composition of hens’ eggs and obtain a balanced ratio of n-6:n-3, 0.2% HSDSWV may be considered suitable as a dietary supplement in hens’ feed.