alpha-Linolenic acid- and docosahexaenoic acid-enriched eggs from hens fed flaxseed: influence on blood lipids and platelet phospholipid fatty acids in humans

Abstract

This study was undertaken to examine the effects that consumption of eggs from hens fed diets containing flaxseed would have on plasma and platelet lipids of male volunteers. Feeding diets containing 0%, 10%, and 20% ground flaxseed to Leghorn pullets provided a marked progressive increase in n-3 fatty acid content as alpha-linolenic acid (alpha-LNA) (28, 261, and 527 mg/egg) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (51, 81, and 87 mg/egg) but no alteration in the cholesterol concentration of the egg yolk. Twenty-eight male volunteers, divided into three groups, were fed four eggs per day for 2 wk according to a cyclic Latin-square design. No statistically significant changes were observed in total cholesterol, high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, or plasma triglyceride concentrations. Significant increases in total n-3 fatty acids and in DHA content (which rose from 1.5 to 2.0% by wt or 33% overall), and a significant decrease in ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids were found in platelet phospholipids of subjects consuming eggs from flaxseed-fed hens. Health and Welfare Canada in 1990 set recommended intakes for dietary n-3 fatty acids and for the ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids, which are not being met currently by the overall population. Eggs modified by the inclusion of flaxseed in the laying hens' diet could provide an important nutritional source of n-3 fatty acid.

Feeding Fish Oil and Linseed Oil to Laying Hens to Increase the n-3 PUFA in Egg Yolk

“…In the study of Sari et al (2002), dietary supplementation with linseed (0, 5, 10 and 15%) increased the concentration of n-3 PUFA (α-LNA, EPA and DHA), which resulted in the reduction of the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio in egg yolk (13.12, 3.19, 2.36 and 1.88, respectively). This result was also confirmed by Ferrier et al (1995), Froning (1996), andBeynen (2004).…”

“…To increase n-3 PUFA in eggs, Jiang et al (1991) and Sparks (2006) recommended dietary supplementation with linseed oil (as it contains significant amount of α-LNA), and Husveth et al (2003) and Sparks (2006) recommended fish oil (due to EPA and DHA). The above mentioned fatty acids contained in a diet were deposited in egg yolk lipids through the hen organism (Scheideler and Froning 1996;Ferrier et al 1995;Lewis et al 2000;Husveth et al 2003).…”

Enrichissement de l’alimentation des animaux avec les acides gras ω-3 : Impact sur la valeur nutritionnelle de leurs produits pour l’homme

“…La relation est d'ailleurs linéaire entre le contenu en ALA dans les aliments et sa teneur dans le jaune d'oeuf [20]. Par exemple, une alimentation destinée aux poules pondeuses [21] …”

Apparent transfer efficiency of docosahexaenoic acid from diet to milk in dairy cows

“…Fatty acid composition of milk and feeds was determined following lipid extraction (two extractions with 1:2 chloroform: methanol (vol/vol), transmethylation in the presence of boron trichloride and gas-liquid chromatography (Lipid Analytic, Guelph, ON). Gas-liquid chromatography of the fatty acid methyl esters was performed using a Varian 3800 gas chromatograph (Palo Alto, CA) with a 30 m DB-23 capillary column (0.32-mm internal diameter) similarly to the methods of Feffier et al (1995). Since the methodology was intended for long-chain fatty acid determinations, shortchain fatty acids (<C 8 ) were not measured.…”