On increasing omega-3 fatty acid content in poultry products
2001
Haemmal, J. | Tikk, V. | Tikk, H. | Viigimaa, M. | Kuusik, S. (Estonian Agricultural Univ., Tartu (Estonia). Inst. of Animal Science)
During the last decade dietologists all over the world have focused their studies on omega-3 fatty acids that are known for their ability of inhibiting platelet aggregation and thus reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and heart attacks. Moreover, in many cases their positive effect on the share of different cholesterol fractions in blood plasma has been observed. Favourable results have been obtained in the studies of the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on the diets for pregnant women and premature children. Therefore the possibilities of enriching regular foodstuffs with omega-3 fatty acids are being studied worldwide. To prevent high cardiovascular mortality in Estonia, an investigation into the possibilities of enriching chicken and quail eggs as well as broiler and quail meat with omega-3 fatty acids was initiated at the Institute of Animal Science of the Estonian Agricultural University in 1997. The experiments of enriching the chicken eggs and hen broiler meat were carried out on the poultry farms of the Sakala Poultry Breeding Co-operative and Tamsalu TERKO, the enrichment trials of quail farm of Jaerveotsa farmstead. The experiments on quail egg consumption were conducted in the Department of Cardiology of the Tartu University Clinic. The results, based on ten research works, indicated that linseed oil, rapeseed oil and linseed cake in chicken and quail diets enabled a 6- to 8-fold increase in the omega-3 fatty acid content of egg yolk and meat fat. The nutrition experiments, conducted with young healthy mail volunteers, confirmed that consumption of omega-3 fatty acid enriched quail eggs reduced the platelet aggregation, thus decreasing the risk of heart attacks as well
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