Carotenoid Accumulation and Their Antioxidant Activity in Spent Laying Hens as Affected by Polarity and Feeding Period

Since the consumption of spent laying hens as roasted skewered meat increases, the effects of various carotenoids on pigmentation and antioxidant activity were tested with 62-wk-old 250 ISA brown laying hens to improve the quality of chicken meat. In a 6-wk feeding trial, 4 carotenoids with different polarity (${\beta}$-8-apo-carotenoic acid ethyl ester (ACAEE)>astaxanthin>canthaxanthin>${\beta}$-carotene) at 100 mg carotenoid/kg feed were used. The more polar the carotenoids, the higher were the levels in blood. After 5-wk adaptation, the concentrations of astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, and ACAEE in blood were -4 ${\mu}g/ml$. Canthaxanthin decreased significantly (p<0.05) the level of total blood cholesterol. Decreases in blood triglyceride by all carotenoids used were significant. ACAEE and astaxanthin tended to increase skin yellowness of thigh, breast, and wing proportionally to feeding period. In the case of polar carotenoids (ACAEE and astaxanthin), the longer the period of feeding, the higher the accumulation in skin was observed. Only astaxanthin was effective against the production of lipid peroxides in skin. Conclusively, out of the commercially available carotenoids we tested, astaxanthin is recommended for pigmentation of skin and inhibition of lipid oxidation.