Production of Omega-3 Enriched Eggs

Omega-3 fatty acids are quite beneficial for human health. These play a vital role in lowering blood cholesterol, blood triglycerides and, hence, blood pressure. Omega-3 fatty acids are helpful in preventing heart diseases, skin diseases and auto immune disorders. The daily intake of 0.5 to 1.0 gram omega-3 fatty acids is recommended for an individual for a healthy life. The food industry is taking steps to return these healthful fatty acids to the human diets. In this regards, poultry meat and eggs can serve the purpose if enriched with omega-3 fatty acids. Laying hens have the ability to absorb and deposit dietary fatty acids without considerable modification in the composition. Thus, the lipid metabolism in the hens permits the fortification of eggs with omega-3 fatty acids by dietary supplementation to increase the provision of these fatty acids which are appropriate for human consumption. This book provides the necessary information about the enrichment of eggs with omega-3 fatty acids by supplementing linseed oil and canola oil to the diets of laying hens. These oils are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids and readily promote the deposition of omega-3 fatty acids in the eggs.