The dietary inclusion of Portulaca oleracea to the diet of laying hens increases the n-3 fatty acids content and reduces the cholesterol content in the egg yolk

The effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)-enriched diet on yolk fatty acid profile and cholesterol content was evaluated. Dried Poutulaca oleracea (purslane: PO diet) was added to a commercial diet (C diet) at 20% of inclusion level. The effect of the supplemented diet was compared to that of C diet. Twenty-six laying hens were fed ad libitum for 21 days with the 2 diets, supplemented also with 300 mg alpha-tocopherol acetate/kg. Eggs were collected and then the fatty acids (FA) profile and the cholesterol content were analysed. The PO diet significantly reduced the saturated FA content (P < 0.05) and increased that of the polyunsaturated FA (PUFA): 18:2 n-6 (P < 0.001), 18:3 n-3 (P < 0.001) and 22:6 n-3 (DHA; P < 0.01). Both n-6 and n-3 PUFA significantly increased with the PO diet and the n-6/n-3 ratio was improved (10.4 vs 11.3; P < 0.05).