Effects of inulin supplementation in laying hens diet on the antioxidant capacity of refrigerated stored eggs

The effects of inulin supplementation in the diet of laying hens on the antioxidant capacity of refrigerated (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks) eggs were evaluated. Three hundred commercial laying hens were divided into five treatment groups and fed diets with supplements of 0 (control), 5, 10, 15 or 20 g/kg inulin. The experimental results showed that the use of inulin (15 or 20 g/kg) in the diet for laying hens increased the DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activities, total phenolic content and ferric reducing power in the yolks of fresh (stored 0 weeks) and stored eggs (P < 0.05). The antioxidant enzyme (SOD and GSH-Px) activities of the stored egg increased linearly (P < 0.05), and the malonaldehyde (MDA) levels of stored eggs decreased linearly (P < 0.01) as the inulin levels improved at every two weeks of storage. In conclusion, inulin supplementation in the diet of laying hens had the potential to prolong the shelf-life of eggs.