The ration recipes developed to improve effective and safe biofortification of hen (Gallus gallus L.) eggs

Enrichment of chicken eggs with ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is relevant worldwide, but scientists and practitioners face certain challenges. Effective biofortification requires dietary source of ω-3 PUFAs bioavailable for laying hens that will not compromise livability, health, and productivity of layers. Since any increase in ω-3 PUFA level in dietary lipids can deteriorate the oxidative stability of egg lipids causing faster quality loss and emergence of fish odor and taste in stored and/or cooked eggs, dietary antioxidants should be used of which vitamin E and selenium (Se) are the most effective. High costs of the ω-3 PUFA-enriched diets for layers should also be diminished. The most popular source of dietary ω-3 PUFAs for layers is flax (seed, oil, cake); however, its dietary level should not exceed 15 % even when used with the appropriate multi-enzyme preparations. This paper is the first to report on comparative study of low-cost feed recipes that we suggest for effective concurrent enrichment of eggs with ω-3 PUFAs, vitamin E, and Se with no negative impacts on layers' livability and productivity...