Impact of brown rice-based diets on egg yolk composition and metabolism in quail

Brown rice has emerged as a promising alternative to corn in poultry diets due to its comparable nutritional value and beneficial bioactive compounds. This study applied multi-omics analyses to investigate metabolites, lipids, and vitamin E in the egg yolk of quail fed corn- or brown rice-based diets. Brown rice feeding did not affect egg production or major yolk macronutrients. Yolk taurine concentration increased, whereas ergothioneine concentration decreased. Notably, α-tocotrienol, which was almost undetectable in the corn-fed group, was consistently deposited in the brown rice-fed group. Lipidomic and fatty acid analyses revealed altered fatty acid composition, including reduced linoleic acid and increased endogenously synthesized fatty acids, accompanied by upregulation of hepatic lipogenesis-related genes. These findings indicate that brown rice feeding reprograms yolk biochemical profiles through both dietary transfer of bioactive compounds and modulation of endogenous metabolism. Brown rice may offer a nutritional approach to generating value-added functional eggs with health-promoting properties.