Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Abstract

The research conducted in avians with emphasis on omega (ω)-3 fatty acid enrichment of edible meat portions and the use of fertilized eggs as a unique model for nutrition research is addressed. In a typical Western diet, over 70% of dietary fat is supplied through animal products. Considering the health benefits of ω-3 fatty acids, feeding strategies have been adopted to meet the recommended increased intake. Addition of flax seeds or fish oil is commonly used to manipulate the ω-3 content of poultry foods. The efficacy of flax in increasing the content of long chain ω-3 is limited after 10% inclusion in the bird’s diet. Incorporating flax results in an increase in α-linolenic acid (18:3) in triglycerides and long chain (>20-carbon) ω-3 in the phospholipids. Generally, dark meat is rich in α-linolenic acid and white meat is rich in long chain ω-3. However, considering the total fat content of dark meat, which is twice that of white meat, dark meat provides more long chain ω-3 on a portion basis. In oviparous species, the developing embryo is dependent on nutrients stored in the egg for sustaining its growth and development. Thus, hen egg and hatched chick is a unique model to study the role of nutrition in the maternal-fetal system because during development the embryo is in an “isolated” environment not under the influence of nutrients from maternal circulation as in the mammalian system. In addition, the short span of time needed to raise multigenerations of progeny, and considering the similarities that exist between mammalian and avian species in the accretion of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids during embryonic development makes the avian model a unique tool for nutrition research.