# The Effect of Poppy Oil on Egg Production and Calcium Metabolism in Japanese Quail

## TL;DR

This study shows that poppy oil improves egg production and calcium metabolism in Japanese quail, possibly through effects on calcium transport genes.

## Contribution

The study is the first to investigate poppy oil's effect on calcium metabolism and egg production in Japanese quail.

## Key findings

- Poppy oil improved egg production, egg weight, and eggmass production in Japanese quail.
- Poppy oil increased the expression of calcium transporter genes in the uterus and jejunum.
- Poppy oil improved calcium retention despite reducing eggshell thickness and strength at higher doses.

## Abstract

Non-opium poppy varieties are widely cultivated in Europe for food. The seed has a high oil content, and poppy oil is produced mainly with cold-press techniques to preserve bioactive compounds. These bioactive compounds have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and improve brain function and digestion. Some vendors claim that poppy oil has a positive effect on Ca metabolism, and hence on disorders caused by the malabsorption of Ca. However, they do not provide research evidence, and we hardly found any articles dealing with such an effect. Egg-laying birds have a very intensive Ca metabolism, making them a good choice to test the effect of feed supplements. Therefore, the aim of our study was to test the effect of poppy oil on egg production, Ca retention, and Ca metabolism-related genes in a layer Japanese quail. Our results indicate that poppy oil has a positive effect on egg production and egg quality, Ca retention, and Ca transport genes in the uterus. Further studies are required to confirm our results on other animal models.

Consumers tend to favor natural dietary supplements to improve their health. However, vendors rarely cite scientific evidence to justify these claims. In the case of poppy oil, it is often mentioned as having a positive effect on Ca metabolism-related disorders, but no proof has been provided. Therefore, the aim of our trial was to test the possible effect of poppy oil on calcium metabolism using Japanese quail layers as a model animal. A total of 120 four-week-old quail were divided into three dietary treatments (four cages per treatment, with ten birds in each cage): a control group (using sunflower oil as the energy source in the diet), 0.5%, and 1% poppy oil supplementation (replacing sunflower oil). Egg production, eggshell thickness, eggshell strength, and egg yolk color were investigated. Ca retention was determined using the acid-insoluble ash method. At the end of the experiment, two birds per cage were sacrificed, and uterus and jejunum samples were collected for gene expression analyses. Poppy oil supplementation improved egg production in terms of intensity, egg weight, and eggmass production. The thickness and eggshell strength decreased when 1% poppy oil was fed to the animals, while Ca retention improved. Poppy oil supplementation increased the expression of Ca transporter genes (CALB1, SLC8A1, and SLC26A9) in the uterus and ITPR1 in the jejunum. Our results indicate a possible effect of poppy oil on Ca metabolism. Further studies are needed to identify the active compound and to understand the mode of action.