# Utilization of Wheat with Enhanced Carotenoid Levels and Various Fat Sources in Hen Diets

## TL;DR

This study shows that using a special type of wheat and rapeseed oil in hen diets improves egg quality and nutritional value.

## Contribution

The study introduces a new wheat variety (Pexeso) and evaluates its combination with rapeseed oil for enhancing egg quality.

## Key findings

- Pexeso wheat improves eggshell quality and carotenoid retention in egg yolks.
- Rapeseed oil combined with Pexeso wheat increases tocopherol content and oxidative stability of eggs.
- Lard improves carotenoid retention but has an unfavorable fatty acid ratio.

## Abstract

Most consumers evaluate the quality of eggs according to the color of the yolks. For this reason, carotenoids (mostly commercial pigments) are added to mixed feed for laying hens, of which wheat can be one of the components. Biofortification can be used to increase health-promoting substances in plants. Owing to this process, the carotenoid and mineral contents are higher in the new Pexeso variety of spring wheat. To meet the energy requirements of poultry, fats are also added to mixed feeds. In this study, we evaluated the effects of two wheat varieties with different carotenoid contents and two fat sources with different fatty acid profiles on hen performance and egg quality. Carotenoid retention in eggs and eggshell quality were greater when hens received Pexeso wheat. Lard also had a positive effect on the retention of carotenoids in the yolk. However, unlike rapeseed oil, lard has an inappropriate ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids and can contribute to the development of disease in humans. A combination of Pexeso wheat and rapeseed oil, which has high amounts of health-promoting polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E, ensures the production of high-quality eggs.

In this study, we evaluated the effects of two wheat varieties with different carotenoid concentrations (Pexeso and Tercie) and two fat sources with contrasting fatty acid profiles (rapeseed oil and lard) on hen performance, egg quality, and egg yolk retention of carotenoids. The feed conversion ratio of hens that received Tercie wheat and lard in their diet were greater than those of hens that received other diets (p = 0.002). Greater (p ˂ 0.001) eggshell thickness and strength occurred when hens were fed a Pexeso wheat diet. Moreover, Pexeso wheat and lard increased lutein (p ˂ 0.001 and p = 0.001) and zeaxanthin (p ˂ 0.001 and p = 0.001) contents in egg yolks. The highest lutein retention (p = 0.010) occurred in the groups that received Pexeso wheat (46.4 and 47.4%), and the highest zeaxanthin retention (p = 0.011) occurred with a Pexeso wheat and lard diet (59.5%). The lowest lutein and zeaxanthin retention occurred in hens fed a Tercie wheat and rapeseed oil diet (23.6% for lutein retention and 24.1% for zeaxanthin retention). The Pexeso wheat and rapeseed oil diet increased the concentrations of α- and γ-tocopherol (p ˂ 0.001 and p ˂ 0.001) in egg yolks, which influenced the oxidative stability of the eggs. Compared with other diets, a Tercie wheat and rapeseed oil diet led to the lowest oxidative stability in fresh eggs (p = 0.041). In conclusion, Pexeso wheat had greater retention of biologically active substances and higher mineral contents than Tercie wheat, which was reflected in the performance of hens and the quality of eggs. The combination of Pexeso wheat with rapeseed oil, which is rich in tocopherols and polyunsaturated fatty acids and has a favorable n-6/n-3 ratio, increased the tocopherol content and the oxidative stability of egg yolk fats.