Functional Quails Eggs using Enriched Spirulina during the Biosorption Process.

Area of Science:

• Animal Nutrition
• Food Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Spirulina platensis is a nutrient-rich alga with potential health benefits.
• Phytobiotics are increasingly used in animal feed to enhance product quality.
• Modifying feed composition can alter the nutritional profile of animal products.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of Spirulina platensis on the fatty acid composition of Japanese quail eggs.
• To compare the effects of crude versus biosorption-enriched Spirulina platensis.
• To assess the potential health implications of consuming eggs from quail fed Spirulina.

Main Methods:

• 126 Japanese quail were fed diets supplemented with 2.5%, 5%, or 7.5% Spirulina platensis (crude or enriched).
• Eggs were collected over a 6-week period.
• Physical and chemical characteristics, particularly fatty acid profiles, of the eggs were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Spirulina supplementation significantly increased unsaturated fatty acids and decreased saturated fatty acids in quail eggs.
• Linolenic (omega-3) and oleic (omega-9) acids showed the most pronounced increases.
• Enriched Spirulina resulted in greater improvements in fatty acid profiles compared to crude Spirulina.

Conclusions:

• Dietary Spirulina platensis effectively enhances the nutritional quality of Japanese quail eggs by improving their fatty acid profile.
• Enriched Spirulina offers superior benefits for modifying egg lipid composition.
• Quail eggs enriched with Spirulina platensis hold promise for contributing positively to human health due to improved fatty acid content.