Search Results (809)

The quantity and bioavailability of iron (Fe) in commercial chicken eggs have been subject to ongoing debate. Understanding the chemical form of Fe in eggs, and how different laying conditions or cooking environments may alter chemical form is important to guide future studies of Fe bioavailability. To address these unanswered questions, this study aimed to accurately quantify and characterise Fe speciation (including haem and non-haem Fe) in egg yolk, albumen and whole eggs (mixed yolk and albumen), in both raw and cooked eggs. Eggs were obtained from four different hen housing systems: free-range, cage, barn and organic. Total Fe was measured using microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometry, and X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy was used to quantify the relative proportions of different chemical forms of Fe (Fe speciation). These analyses were conducted on raw albumen, yolk, and whole egg samples (combined yolk and albumen) from eggs produced across all housing systems, as well as on baked and boiled albumen, yolk, and whole egg samples from free-range eggs. Haem Fe was not detected by the analytical methods used, confirming that eggs are not a nutritionally relevant source of haem Fe. Mixing yolk and albumen alters Fe speciation, decreasing relative phosphate coordination of Fe and increasing Fe associated with protein carboxylate and chloride groups. Subsequent baking causes a significant reduction in carboxylate- and chloride-bound Fe, accompanied by an increase in sulfur-bound Fe. Boiling eggs was found to have minimal effects on Fe speciation. Despite contributing little Fe, albumen plays an important role in modulating Fe speciation, which may subsequently impact bioavailability. Cooking eggs changes the Fe speciation, particularly increasing the amount of Fe–S coordination, which should be taken into consideration for future study design when assessing Fe bioavailability. Full article

Tuta absoluta is a globally significant invasive pest that has rapidly developed resistance to multiple classes of insecticides, highlighting the critical need for RNA interference (RNAi) targets for sustainable pest management. The insulin signaling pathway is a key regulator of insect reproduction; however, the role of PIK3AP, an adaptor protein that links receptor tyrosine kinases to the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, remains poorly understood in Lepidopteran pests. In this study, TaPIK3AP was identified in T. absoluta, exhibiting elevated expression levels in the heads of female adults and during the early reproductive period. RNAi-mediated knockdown of TaPIK3AP reduced fecundity by 76%, decreased egg hatching rate by 43%, shortened the oviposition period by two days, and caused pronounced ovarian atrophy accompanied by impaired yolk deposition. Mechanistically, knockdown of TaPIK3AP led to the suppression of Vg and VgR expression, a reduction in juvenile hormone (JH) titer, downregulation of JH signaling genes, and a significant decrease in the transcript levels of key components of the target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway, including mTOR, Rheb, and S6K. These findings demonstrate that TaPIK3AP integrates Vg, JH, and TOR signaling pathways to regulate female reproduction in T. absoluta, thereby identifying it as a potential molecular target for RNAi-based sustainable pest management strategies. Full article

This study investigated the effects of long-term dietary choline supplementation on the productive performance, liver characteristics, and egg quality of brown laying hens during an extended laying cycle from 66 to 100 weeks of age. A total of 240 Hy-Line Brown laying hens were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments containing 0%, 0.07%, 0.28%, or 0.84% supplemental Choline-50%, with six replicates per treatment. Production performance was monitored throughout the experiment, and samples for physiological analyses were collected at 100 weeks of age. Egg production during 66–75 weeks increased linearly with increasing dietary choline levels (p < 0.05), whereas no significant differences were observed between weeks 76 and 100. Choline supplementation significantly decreased liver fat content and malondialdehyde concentration (p < 0.01), indicating improved hepatic lipid metabolism and reduced oxidative stress. Small white and yellow follicle counts increased (p < 0.05), suggesting enhanced early follicular development. Serum inorganic phosphorus levels decreased linearly (p < 0.01), whereas the other blood biochemical traits were unaffected. Dietary treatments did not influence bone quality traits. Yolk weight decreased in the choline-supplemented hens (p < 0.05), whereas albumen quality and shell traits remained unchanged. In conclusion, dietary choline supplementation may improve liver health and maintain productivity during production cycles extending up to 100 weeks of age. Full article

Background: Routine use of the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) tumor model in nuclear imaging studies is hampered by small tumors, embryonic movements and laborious volume-restricted intravenous tracer/drug administration. We sought a workaround by using fast-growing tumors, high-resolution autoradiography and non-intravenous tracer administration. Methods: Dekalb White chicken eggs were grafted with C3H mammary carcinoma fragments or MOC2 oral squamous cell carcinoma fragments from donor mice. The tumor uptake of ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) following in-yolk-sac injection, dripping after CAM scoring or allantoic cavity injection was evaluated using positron emission tomography (PET) and autoradiography. Using in-yolk-sac injection, eggs were administered different tracer mixtures, namely (1) pimonidazole (hypoxia-marker), FDG and ¹⁴C-2-deoxyglucose (¹⁴C-2DG), (2) pimonidazole, FDG and ¹⁴C-acetate or (3) pimonidazole, the hypoxia-selective tracer ¹⁸F-fluoroazomycin-arabinoside (FAZA) and ¹⁴C-2DG. For comparison, tumor-bearing mice were administered FDG/¹⁴C-acetate/pimonidazole. Gross tumor uptake was evaluated using PET. Tumor cryosections were analyzed using dual-tracer autoradiography. Complementary autoradiograms were co-registered, covered by a square grid (0.5 × 0.5 mm). Pearson correlation coefficients (PCC) were calculated from scatterplots. Results: C3H tumors reached a mean weight (with 95% confidence interval) of 0.32 g (0.28–0.37 g), while for MOC2, it was 0.19 g (0.09–0.29 g). In-yolk-sac tracer injection was simple and effective, producing high tracer uptake and contrast 3 h post-administration. Spatial tracer overlap (PCC) was: FDG vs. ¹⁴C-2DG, 0.95–0.97; FAZA vs. ¹⁴C-2DG, 0.71–0.79 and FDG vs. ¹⁴C-acetate, 0.26–0.84 (0.15–0.76 in mice). Pimonidazole revealed tumor hypoxia. Conclusions: Direct-grafting from donor mice generated larger tumors than previously reported. In-yolk-sac tracer administration was practical and allowed larger injected volumes. Autoradiography revealed that: (1) FDG and ¹⁴C-2DG can be used interchangeably, (2) ¹⁴C-2DG was elevated in FAZA-positive areas, suggesting that in some tumors FDG-PET may provide information on the intratumoral distribution of hypoxic areas, and (3) FDG and ¹⁴C-acetate showed variable overlap. We conclude that in-yolk-sac tracer injection and autoradiography simplify and optimize CAM-based nuclear imaging research. Full article

Background: Oral food challenge (OFC) remains the gold standard for diagnosing food allergy; however, it is time-consuming and associated with the risk of allergic reactions. The identification of reliable biomarkers capable of predicting OFC outcomes could improve patient selection and reduce the number of OFCs required in clinical practice. Among the most widely used biomarkers are skin prick tests (SPTs) and serum-specific IgE (sIgE) measurements, including component-resolved diagnostics. However, their diagnostic utility, as well as the comparability of different diagnostic platforms, remains incompletely defined in cow’s milk (CM) and hen’s egg (HE) allergy. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed results of diagnostic tests obtained in children undergoing OFCs to baked milk, raw milk, baked egg, and boiled egg. Diagnostic performance of SPTs to either allergen extracts or native food allergens, as well as sIgE measured using ImmunoCAP and ALEX2 platforms, was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and logistic regression models. Results: Diagnostic performance varied across allergy phenotypes. SPTs to native food allergens demonstrated good discriminative capacity for raw milk and boiled egg allergy, whereas SPTs to standardized extracts showed limited diagnostic utility overall. In baked milk allergy, casein-sIgE measured by ImmunoCAP demonstrated the best diagnostic performance. In raw milk allergy, α-lactalbumin-sIgE measured using ALEX2 platform and β-lactoglobulin-sIgE measured by ImmunoCAP showed greater diagnostic relevance than casein-sIgE. In boiled egg allergy, SPT to raw egg yolk demonstrated the highest diagnostic value. In baked egg allergy, ovalbumin-sIgE measured using the ALEX2 platform showed the best performance, while ovomucoid-sIgE did not demonstrate clear superiority. ALEX2 showed good concordance with ImmunoCAP despite systematic differences in absolute sIgE values. Combined multivariable models provided only modest improvements over single predictors and did not achieve sufficient accuracy to replace OFCs. Conclusions: SPTs to either allergen extracts or native food allergens, as well as sIgE measurements, demonstrate moderate and heterogeneous utility in predicting OFC outcomes for CM and HE allergy. Although ALEX2 and ImmunoCAP showed comparable overall performance, platform-specific interpretation may be required. OFC remains indispensable for definitive diagnosis. Full article

Oocyte quality determines fertilization success during the reproductive period of fish and is affected by a key intrinsic factor: the level of lipid deposition in the yolk. In this study, lipidomics was used to characterize lipid profiles of adipose tissue, liver, serum and ovary to clarify divergent hepatic lipid allocation to fat depots versus ovary in Sichuan taimen (Hucho bleekeri). The results showed that glycerophospholipids (GPs) constituted the most diverse lipid class across all four tissues, with phosphatidylcholine (PC) being the most abundant in each tissue. Relative to adipose tissue, liver, and serum, the ovary exhibited significant enrichment of PC and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and higher accumulation of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)- and arachidonic acid (ARA)-containing GPs and triacylglycerols (TGs), as well as enrichment in TGs, diacylglycerols (DGs), and cardiolipin (CL), compared to adipose tissue. The expression levels of fads6, elovl2, elovl5, dgat1b, dgat2, pparα, nfyb, and fabp7 were higher in the liver, while lpcat1 was highly expressed specifically in the ovary. The results of this study demonstrate that long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) exhibited selective enrichment in the ovary, which facilitates yolk lipid deposition and provides structural and energetic support for oocyte development and early embryonic development. From a lipidomic perspective, this study reveals the regulatory characteristics underlying ovarian yolk deposition in H. bleekeri, providing important evidence for understanding the mechanisms of egg quality formation as well as a theoretical basis for broodstock management, artificial propagation, and the improvement of egg and larval quality. Full article

This study assessed the effects of dietary honeycomb supplementation on laying performance, intestinal inflammation, ovarian function, and yolk precursor synthesis in laying hens. A total of 320 Dawu Golden Phoenix laying hens (288-d-old) were randomly assigned into four treatment groups with eight replicates of 10 hens each. Hens were provided diets containing 0, 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 g/kg honeycomb for 30 d. Dietary honeycomb significantly increased average egg weight, average daily feed intake, and laying rate, while decreasing the feed conversion ratio (p < 0.05). It enhanced serum antioxidant capacity, as reflected by higher GSH, SOD, and CAT activity (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, honeycomb modulated the expression of Nrf2/Keap1 pathway-related genes, accompanied by increased expression of downstream antioxidant-related genes. Additionally, honeycomb downregulated intestinal inflammatory- and apoptosis-related factors (p < 0.05), which effectively alleviated intestinal inflammation responses. In the liver, honeycomb showed favorable histological changes, including fewer lipid droplets and less vacuolar degeneration. Furthermore, it decreased serum ALT, AST, and TG levels and promoted yolk precursor synthesis by upregulating genes associated with lipid transport and vitellogenesis (p < 0.05). In the ovary, honeycomb optimized ovarian morphology and follicle development; elevated serum FSH, E2, and MLT levels; and enhanced the expression of steroidogenesis-related genes (p < 0.05), thereby promoting steroid hormone synthesis and reducing follicular atresia. In conclusion, dietary honeycomb supplementation could maintain intestinal health, modulate hepatic and ovarian metabolism functions, promote yolk precursor synthesis, improve follicle development, and consequently, enhance the laying performance of hens. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with dried Haematococcus pluvialis biomass on egg quality in laying hens using a multilevel analytical approach. A total of 100 ISA Brown hens were divided into two groups: a control group (CTRL) fed a basal diet and an experimental group (HP) receiving the same diet supplemented with 0.075% H. pluvialis. Supplementation did not significantly affect most physical egg parameters, although yolk index and yolk height were improved in the HP group. A marked increase in yolk pigmentation was observed, with values reaching 15 on the DSM color fan compared to 8.4 in CTRL (p < 0.0001). Significant enhancements in yolk nutritional quality were detected, including increased total carotenoids and the presence of astaxanthin exclusively in the HP group. Mineral composition was also markedly affected, with significant increases in essential elements such as Fe, Mg, Zn, I, and P in both albumen and yolk. The fatty acid profile was favorably modulated, showing a reduction in saturated fatty acids and an increase in monounsaturated fatty acids, along with improved nutritional indices (AI, TI, HH). Instrumental sensory analysis revealed clear discrimination between groups based on color (E-eye), while differences in volatile profiles (E-nose) were less pronounced. However, a reduction in oviposition rate and egg mass was observed in the supplemented group. Overall, the inclusion of H. pluvialis biomass represents an effective strategy for the natural biofortification of eggs, improving their nutritional and functional value. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ (25-OH-D3), canthaxanthin (Cx), copper (Cu), and gluco-oligosaccharides (GO) on performance, egg quality, fertility, and hatchability of broiler breeder hens during early production (30 to 41 weeks of age). A total of 210 breeder hens and 21 males were allocated to three dietary treatments. Birds were fed a standard broiler breeder diet (control) or the same diet in which 0.5 kg/MT of an additive premix replaced sand. This premix supplied 16.6–17.7 mg/kg canthaxanthin (Cx) and 3700–4700 IU/kg 25-OH-D3 in Treatment 1, and 9.2–11.1 mg/kg Cx and 4100–4700 IU/kg 25-OH-D3 in Treatment 2. Treatment 2 also included Cu and GO (≥44 mg/g within the additive), with Cu provided at industry-standard levels. Each treatment consisted of seven replicates, with birds housed in floor pens containing 10 females and 1 male per replicate. Hen performance was recorded weekly, while egg quality was assessed at 30, 35, and 41 weeks. Fertility and hatchability were evaluated at 30 and 41 weeks. Treatment 2 improved lay rate, albumen height, Haugh unit, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) at selected time points. Both supplemented diets consistently produced darker yolk color compared with the control. Supplementation consistently enhanced yolk color, whereas effects on albumen height, Haugh unit, shell thickness, and FCR were observed only at specific ages or weeks. Lay rate differed among treatments only at week 40, with a trend observed at week 41. Fertility and hatchability were not significantly affected by dietary treatment. Full article

With the increasing demand for sustainable animal production, the utilization of agricultural and processing by-products as functional feed ingredients has gained growing attention. However, the application of Xiasangju processing residues, a by-product generated during the industrial processing of the traditional Chinese herbal formula Xiasangju, in poultry nutrition remains poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional composition, bioactive components, and potential functional effects of Xiasangju processing by-products as a dietary supplement for late-laying hens. Chemical composition was characterized using LC-MS and conventional nutritional analysis, while potential anti-inflammatory mechanisms were predicted via network pharmacology. A total of 288 Jingfen laying hens (55 weeks old) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments supplemented with 0, 0.5%, 1.0%, or 1.5% Xiasangju processing by-products for 56 days. Results showed that 11 major active compounds were identified, including relatively high levels of linarin and rosmarinic acid, along with abundant crude protein, fiber, minerals, and amino acids. Dietary supplementation at 1.5% was associated with higher egg production rate, egg weight, and yolk color without obvious adverse effects on organ indices or serum biochemical parameters. This treatment was also associated with lower inflammatory gene expression, including IL-6 and COX-2 in the ileum and NF-κB, IL-6, COX-2, and TNF-α in the cecum. No significant effects were observed on antioxidant status in yolk or liver, or intestinal morphology. Integrated analyses using network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vitro COX-2 inhibition suggested that anti-inflammatory-related responses may involve COX-2-related pathways, while 16S rRNA sequencing indicated changes in gut microbiota composition. In conclusion, Xiasangju processing by-products may serve as a potential functional feed ingredient for late-laying hens, with 1.5% inclusion showing favorable overall performance under the conditions of this study. These effects may be associated with the combined contribution of residual nutrients and bioactive compounds in the residues. Full article

Rhizoctonia solani is a necrotrophic phytopathogenic fungus that causes disease in various crops. In agriculture, many crops suffer from root or seedling rot caused by this soil-borne pathogen, whereas cabbage and rice develop lesion-like symptoms on aboveground tissues. Diseases caused by R. solani are generally controlled using chemical fungicides; however, environmentally friendly alternatives are needed for sustainable agriculture. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of lecithin, a mixture of phospholipids previously registered in Japan as an agrochemical for controlling cucumber powdery mildew, against Rhizoctonia diseases. In cabbage, foliar spraying of 0.2–1.0% soybean lecithin effectively suppressed leaf symptoms caused by R. solani isolate RhiCa-2, which was identified as AG-1 IB. In rice and Brachypodium distachyon, 0.2–1.0% lecithin significantly suppressed leaf symptoms induced by R. solani AG-1 IA. Hyphal staining of inoculated leaves revealed reduced hyphal density on lecithin-treated leaves. Consistently, hyphal growth of R. solani on cellophane placed on water agar was retarded by lecithin treatment. However, 5.0% lecithin induced phytotoxicity in B. distachyon. Egg yolk-derived lecithin also exhibited disease-suppressive activity in cabbage and B. distachyon, with efficacy comparable to that of soybean lecithin under the conditions tested. These results suggest that lecithin suppresses foliar infection by R. solani, at least in part, through direct inhibitory effects on fungal hyphae, and may serve as a potential alternative material for disease control in sustainable crop production. Full article

Fat deposition in laying hens involves lipid synthesis, transport, storage, and allocation across multiple tissues, yet the metabolic links between abdominal fat (AF) and egg yolk (EY) lipid deposition remain unclear. Here, we integrated whole-genome resequencing data with untargeted metabolomic profiles from the liver, duodenum, ileum, cecum, and serum of 248 purebred Rhode Island Red hens at 100 weeks of age. We estimated metabolite-explained variance (me²) for 22 fat deposition-related traits, evaluated metabolite heritability, and combined Spearman correlation analysis with bidirectional generalized summary-data-based Mendelian randomization (GSMR) to identify shared metabolites and pathways associated with AF and EY traits. The me² showed clear tissue specificity, with the liver, serum, and duodenum showing significant explanatory signals for 77.3% (17/22), 72.7% (16/22), and 68.2% (15/22) of fat-related traits. Liver-, AF-, and body weight-related traits showed stronger metabolomic explanatory signals, with significant proportions of 71.4–100.0%, 28.6–100.0%, and 100.0% across tissues, respectively, whereas EY-related traits showed more restricted and tissue-specific associations (0–33.3%). Correlation analysis identified liver-enriched AF–EY shared metabolites (e.g., NADPH, cholesteryl sulfate, N6,N6,N6-trimethyllysine), most of which showed opposite association patterns between AF- and EY-related traits. Bidirectional GSMR prioritized 20 candidate metabolites with opposite putative effects on AF and EY traits, including CDP-choline, phosphorylcholine, and allantoin. Pathway integration highlighted fructose/mannose metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, ABC transporters, folate/one-carbon metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and energy metabolism as core components of the AF–EY shared network. These findings reveal tissue-specific and shared metabolic bases of fat deposition and identify candidate metabolic signatures associated with lipid partitioning between abdominal fat and egg yolk in laying hens. Full article

Among the ten local breeds of the Veneto region in Italy, Pepoi (PP) and Ermellinata di Rovigo (ER) hens start laying eggs earlier than the others. The egg laying rate (27–34 weeks of age) is higher (p < 0.01) in PP than in ER hens. Egg quality (at 33 weeks of age, 120 eggs/breed) was studied in fresh 1 day-old eggs and in preserved 21 day-old eggs according to breed and storage temperature (12 and 21 °C). Fresh ER eggs showed higher (p < 0.01) egg weights, yolk pH, Haugh units and yolk indices and lower (p < 0.01) eggshell lightness and thickness, surface area-to-volume ratios, and albumen pH than PP eggs, but the yolk-to-albumen ratio was similar between the breeds. After 21 days of storage, the egg traits showed the same trend for significant differences between breeds, with the exception of albumen pH and Haugh units, which were similar. Eggs stored at 21 °C showed lower (p < 0.01) Haugh units and yolk index values and higher (p < 0.01) albumen and yolk pH, albumen yellowness, and weight loss than eggs stored at 12 °C. Stored PP and ER eggs also differed in terms of observed changes in Haugh units, yolk pH and yolk index values with storage temperature: ER eggs showed higher (p < 0.01) yolk index values than PP eggs at both storage temperatures. Eleven weeks after the onset of laying, significant differences were observed in several traits of fresh and stored eggs from the studied breeds, particularly regarding the strength of the vitelline membrane. These preliminary results contribute to the characterization of the storage suitability of eggs from local breeds and to future crossbreeding programmes for enhancing chicken biodiversity. Full article

Background. Newborn ruminants are born agammaglobulinemic, and colostrum quality (IgG concentration) is often insufficient, especially in heifers, leading to high morbidity and mortality from diarrheal infections. Objective. To develop and evaluate colostrum enrichment with specific egg yolk immunoglobulins (IgY) for the prevention of diarrhea in newborn calves. Methods. Hens were hyperimmunized with an inactivated vaccine against rotavirus, coronavirus, and E. coli. Yolk melange was prepared. Total and specific IgY were measured by chromatography and ELISA. Trials were conducted in three farms with high diarrhea incidence: experimental calves (n = 25) received 100 mL of melange (5 yolks) with the first two colostrum feedings; controls (n = 25) received native colostrum. Results. One yolk contained up to 100 mg of polyclonal IgY, with 8% specific antibodies. Diarrhea occurred in 12% of experimental calves (mild, no drugs) vs. 76% in controls (24% required antibiotics/rehydration). Testing in two other farms (n = 42, n = 38) reduced incidence 5.2–6.8-fold compared to the previous period. Conclusions. Enriching colostrum with specific IgY from hyperimmunized hens is highly effective and affordable for preventing diarrheal infections in newborn calves, especially in herds with poor colostrum quality in heifers. Full article

Lipids play a central role in poultry nutrition by modulating energy utilization, nutrient digestibility, and metabolic processes related to lipid absorption and deposition. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the main dietary lipid sources used in poultry nutrition and their effects on performance, lipid metabolism, and egg yolk fatty acid composition. Conventional lipid sources, including vegetable oils and animal fats, differ in fatty acid profile, degree of saturation, and digestibility, which directly influence metabolic efficiency and productive responses. In addition, the strategic use of lipid sources enables the modulation of fatty acid profiles in poultry products, particularly through the enrichment of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3. These effects are associated with mechanisms involving lipid digestion, absorption, and hepatic lipoprotein synthesis, which regulate fatty acid deposition in tissues and egg yolks. However, responses to dietary lipids are influenced by factors such as inclusion level, oxidative stability, and lipid composition. Overall, dietary lipid manipulation represents an effective strategy to optimize production efficiency and enhance the nutritional quality of poultry-derived foods. Full article