STABILITY OF CHOLESTEROL AND PAPRIKA CAROTENOIDS IN EGG POWDERS AS INFLUENCED BY DIETARY AND PROCESSING TREATMENTS

The effects of dietary alpha-tocopherol and/or oleoresin paprika (OP) on cholesterol and carotenoid stability in egg powders during spray dr ying and subsequent storage were investigated. Cholesterol oxidation a nd loss of carotenoids in eggs dried with a direct gas-fired spray dry er were greater (P < 0.05) than in eggs dried using an indirect (elect ric) heating system. Dietary supplementation of alpha-tocopherol aceta te (200 mg kg(-1) feed) significantly increased (P < 0.01) the oxidati ve stability of cholesterol and carotenoids in eggs dried with the dir ect heating system. Supplementation of OP (7.5 mu g g(-1) egg lipids) through diet or by direct addition to liquid eggs did not affect the f ormation of cholesterol oxidation products (COPS) during storage. Howe ver, increased concentrations of OP in liquid eggs (15 and 30 mu g g(- 1) lipids) suppressed the formation of COPS during processing and subs equent storage.