Thyme (Thymbra spicata L.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and vitamin E supplementation of laying hens

This study was conducted to determine the effects on performance, egg quality parameters and some serum profiles of vitamin E, thyme and rosemary extracts that were added to laying hen feeds. One hundred twelve 48-week-old Bovans-genotype white laying hens were used in the research. In the study, hens were randomly divided into four groups, each comprising of four replicates of seven hens. The first group was fed with the basal diet as a control. The other three groups were fed diets with 200 mg/kg vitamin E, with 1000 mg/kg thyme, and with 1000 mg/kg rosemary for eight weeks. As a result, vitamin E increased egg production statistically compared with feeds with plant extracts. Thyme-supplemented feed increased egg weight significantly. However, it reduced egg production. Rosemary supplementation generated profit by reducing the feed intake, but had a negative effect by reducing egg weight and egg production. The cholesterol level in the blood serum decreased with thyme supplementation. In addition, blood triglyceride level decreased at a statistically significant level with the supplementation of both thyme and rosemary. In the light of these results, it can be said that the supplementation of vitamin E, thyme and rosemary extracts has a positive effect on some performance parameters and animal health. Since healthier products are obtained from healthy animals, the use of these natural additives in laying hen feeds could be recommended after dose trials.Keywords: aspartate aminotransferase, cholesterol, egg production, feed intake, plant extract, triglycerid

Effects of olive cake meal on serum constituents and fatty acid levels in breast muscle of Japanese quail

This study was aimed at determining the effects of various levels of dietary olive cake meal (OCM) on certain blood parameters and breast muscle fatty acid and cholesterol levels. For this purpose, 400 day-old Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) chicks of both sexes were randomly assigned to four trial groups, each including five replicates of 20 animals. The quail were fed on a maize and soybean meal-based basal diet supplemented with 0%, 2.5%, 5% and 7.5% of OCM for six weeks. Dietary supplementation with 5% and 7.5% of OCM decreased total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the blood serum, and increased cholesterol levels in the breast muscle. Dietary supplementation with various levels of OCM decreased saturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid levels, and increased monounsaturated fatty acid and total unsaturated fatty acid levels in the breast muscle. As a result, it was concluded that, olive cake meal, which contains a high level of olive oil, could be incorporated in poultry feed at a level of 5%, owing to its beneficial effects of decreasing serum LDL cholesterol, which plays a major role in the aetiology of cardiovascular diseases, and in reducing saturated fatty acid levels in breast muscle

Indoor air quality in a restaurant kitchen using margarine for deep-frying

Indoor air quality has a great impact on human health. Cooking, in particular frying, is one of the most important sources of indoor air pollution. Indoor air CO, CO2, particulate matter (PM), and volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations, including aldehydes, were measured in the kitchen of a small establishment where a special deep-frying margarine was used. The objective was to assess occupational exposure concentrations for cooks of such restaurants. While individual VOC and PM2.5 concentrations were measured before, during, and after frying events using active sampling, TVOC, PM10, CO, CO2, temperature, and relative humidity were continuously monitored through the whole period. VOC and aldehyde concentrations did not increase to considerable levels with deep-frying compared to the background and public indoor environment levels, whereas PM10 increased significantly (1.85 to 6.6 folds). The average PM2.5 concentration of the whole period ranged between 76 and 249 μg/m3. Hence, considerable PM exposures could occur during deep-frying with the special margarine, which might be sufficiently high to cause health effects on cooks considering their chronic occupational exposures.Dokuz Eylul University (BAP-2011.KB.SAG.017

Concentrations of sialic acid in serum in Behcet disease

PubMed ID: 2302798[No abstract available

Effects of The Dietary Supplementation of Layer Diets with Natural and Synthetic Antioxidant Additives on Yolk Lipid Peroxidation and Fatty Acid Composition of Eggs Stored at Different Temperatures and Duration

WOS: 000498802700010In this study, the effects of the supplementation of natural and synthetic antioxiciant additives in layer diets on egg weight loss, yolk lipid peroxidation ([BARS values) and fatty acid composition of eggs stored at different temperatures and duration were evaluated. In total, 112 48- weeks-old Bovans White layers were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments with four replicates of seven birds each. The treatments consisted of a control diet, containing no additives, and diets with the inclusion of 200 mg synthetic vitamin E/kg, 1000 mg thyme extract/kg and 1000 mg rosemary extract/kg. Dietary treatments did not influence (p>0.05) relative weight loss of eggs stored for 14, 28, and 56 days, except for those from rosemary-fed hens stored at room temperature on d 42, which were significantly lighter than the eggs from vitamin E- and thyme-fed hens (p0.05) of dietary treatment on yolk TBARS values were detected in refrigerated eggs. The inclusion of the synthetic and both natural antioxidants in layer diets significantly reduced stearic acid (C18: 0) level in the egg yolk. In addition, only natural antioxidants significantly increased yolk levels of palmitoleic acid (C16: 1) and vaccenic acid (C18: 1n7). The results of the present study showed that adequate storage temperature was more effective in improving egg shelf life than feeding layers synthetic or natural antioxidant additives. However, the positive effects of the evaluated natural antioxidants on yolk fatty acid composition suggest their supplementation to layer diets may provide health benefits to the consumer