Carotenoid‐enriched transgenic corn delivers bioavailable carotenoids to poultry and protects them against coccidiosis

Abstract

SummaryCarotenoids are health-promoting organic molecules that act as antioxidants and essential nutrients. We show that chickens raised on a diet enriched with an engineered corn variety containing very high levels of four key carotenoids (b-carotene, lycopene, zeaxanthin and lutein) are healthy and accumulate more bioavailable carotenoids in peripheral tissues, muscle, skin and fat, and more retinol in the liver, than birds fed on standard corn diets (including commercial corn supplemented with colour additives). Birds were challenged with the protozoan parasite Eimeria tenella and those on the high-carotenoid diet grew normally, suffered only mild disease symptoms (diarrhoea, footpad dermatitis and digital ulcers) and had lower faecal oocyst counts than birds on the control diet. Our results demonstrate that carotenoid-rich corn maintains poultry health and increases the nutritional value of poultry products without the use of feed additives.

Variations in BCO2 Coding Sequence Causing a Difference in Carotenoid Concentration in the Skin of Chickens

“…Carotenoids are an important factor for growth and health of birds, color and therefore carotenoid additives and vitamin A supplements may be added to poultry feed formulations. As an alternative for this some studies have used established high-carotenoid maize as an alternative for these supplements in laying hens and broilers [18][19][20]. Our results show that carotenoids are deposited in the skin of yellow skin chicken, while in white skin chicken there is almost no deposition of carotenoids, as no β-carotene was detected, while the lutein and zeaxanthin were detected in chicken skin.…”

Carotenoid biofortification in crop plants: citius, altius, fortius

“…For example, feeding poultry with carotenoid biofortified maize enhanced the accumulation of carotenoids in muscles, skin and egg yolk, and increased liver vitamin A content under lab and farm conditions [262]. In addition, carotenoids from biofortified maize has been shown to protect broilers against coccidiosis without the need for artificial carotenoid additives [263]. Astaxanthin is the most expensive fish food ingredient added to obtain a desirable pink flesh color of salmon and trout.…”

“…Biological sources of this ketocarotenoid are not sufficient to meet the global astaxanthin demand [262]. Recently, astaxanthin-biofortified transgenic maize and tomato fruit have been shown to be more efficient in conferring the desired color to egg yolk and salmon flesh, respectively, compared to synthetic astaxanthin additives [41,263]…”

Recent advances and perspectives in crop biofortification

“…Interestingly, concerning practical testing of vitamin A content in feed showed that an increased uptake of carotenoids has a positive effect on the tested subjects. Nogareda et al (2016) proved not only that broilers fed with transgenic maize producing increased amount of carotenoids are able to acquire carotenoids better than from additives, but that the carotenoid diet delays the reproductive cycle of the protozoan parasite E. tenella, the cause of coccidiosis. Vitamin A biofortified rice was assessed as a food additive in the diet of Ethiopian children.…”