Impact of different omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) sources (flaxseed, Isochrysis galbana, fish oil and DHA Gold) on n-3 LC-PUFA enrichment (efficiency) in the egg yolk

• Different n-3 PUFA sources lead to different n-3 LC-PUFA enrichment efficiencies.
• N-3 LC-PUFA sources lead to the highest n-3 LC-PUFA enrichment efficiencies.
• Isochrysis galbana supplementation led to yolk color changes.

Four different omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) sources (flaxseed, Isochrysis galbana, fish oil and DHA Gold) were supplemented to the diet of laying hens in such a way that the same amount of extra n-3 PUFA (120 mg per 100 g feed) was added to the diet and enrichment of egg yolk with n-3 PUFA was monitored. The obtained n-3 long chain (LC)-PUFA enrichment was not as efficient for all n-3 PUFA sources. The lowest enrichment efficiency (≈6%) was observed when flaxseed (α-linolenic acid source) was supplemented. Drastically higher n-3 LC-PUFA enrichment efficiencies were observed with supplementation of the n-3 LC-PUFA sources. However, for the n-3 LC-PUFA sources (fish oil, I. galbana and DHA Gold) differences in enrichment efficiencies were observed (≈55%, ≈30% and ≈45%, respectively), mainly because of different bio-accessibility of the n-3 PUFA and different n-3 PUFA profiles of the three sources.