DEPOSITION OF CAROTENOIDS IN EGGS FROM HENS FED DIETS CONTAINING SAPONIFIED AND UNSAPONIFIED OLEORESIN PAPRIKA

Deposition of carotenoids in saponified paprika (SP) and unsaponified oleoresin paprika (OP) in egg yolks as well as the dietary level for d esired pigmentation were evaluated. Sixty-four hens on a carotenoid-de pletion diet were divided into two replicated groups of each of eight dietary treatments containing from 0 to 16 mg paprika carotenoids per kg feed. Colour and the carotenoid content of egg yolk increased linea rly (P < 0.01) with the amounts of paprika carotenoids in the diets. T he colours of egg yolks from hens fed similar concentrations of OP or SP were not significantly different (P < 0.01). A low dose (4 mg kg(-1 )) of OP or SP provided yolk colour equivalent to the colour of eggs i n supermarkets. High-performance liquid chromatographic analyses showe d that carotenoids deposited in the yolk are in the free alcohol form, regardless of the form of carotenoids in the diet. Capsanthin, the pr edominant carotenoid in paprika, was deposited in egg yolk less effici ently than zeaxanthin and lutein.