Commercial Corn Hybrids as a Single Source of Dietary Carotenoids: Effect on Egg Yolk Carotenoid Profile and Pigmentation

Commercial high-yielding corn hybrids have not been evaluated for their ability to pigment egg yolk. Therefore, the objective of this research was investigate effects commercial with different carotenoid profiles as only source pigments in diets hens on yolk color and content, well deposition efficiency into Treatment diets, differing one five hybrids, were offered a completely randomized design six cages per treatment, each three hens. yolks differed profile (contents lutein, zeaxanthin, ?-cryptoxanthin ?-carotene, p < 0.001), total contents ranging from 17.13–13.45 µg/g diet 25.99–21.97 The treatments (p 0.001) color, which determined by fan (10.8–9.83) CIE Lab (redness; range 12.47–10.05). highest intensity achieved content ?-carotene. lutein zeaxanthin (25.52 26.05%, respectively) higher than that ?-carotene (8.30 5.65%, respectively), all carotenoids decreased increasing dietary content. provided adequate could be hens, reduce cost production increase farmers’ income.