Use of Lycopene, an Antioxidant Carotinoid, in Laying Hens for Egg Yolk Pigmentation

Kang, D.-K.; Kim, S.-I.; Cho, C.-H.; Yim, Y.-H.; Kim, H.-S.

doi:2003.16.12.1799

Article

Animal Breeding and Genetics

Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 2003;16(12): 1799-1803.
https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2003.1799 Published online January 1, 2003.

Use of Lycopene, an Antioxidant Carotinoid, in Laying Hens for Egg Yolk Pigmentation

D.-K. Kang, S.-I. Kim, C.-H. Cho, Y.-H. Yim, H.-S. Kim

Abstract

The possibility of lycopene affecting egg yolk pigmentation was studied with lycopene diets containing 0, 4, 8, and 12 mg/g meal, respectively. The addition of lycopene above 4 mg/g meal significantly improved yolk color after four days of supplementation. The transfer of lycopene into egg yolk was confirmed by thin layer chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The deposition rate of lycopene into egg yolk was approximately 2%, which was quantitatively determined using a HPLC with a UV detector. The result indicates that lycopene is a good candidate for egg yolk pigmentation and for making functional eggs.

Keywords: Lycopene; HPLC-MS; Egg Yolk; Pigmentation; Deposition Rate