Chia as a new source of ω-3 fatty acids: Nutritional comparison with other raw materials and its advantages when producing ω-3 enriched eggs

Abstract:

In pre-Columbian times chia was one of the basic foods of Central American civilizations, following corn and beans in terms of importance, but being more important than Amaranth. Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire, received between 5,000 and 15,000 tons of chia as an annual tribute from conquered nations. Chia seed was not used just as a food, but also offered to the Aztec gods. Today there are ω-3 enriched eggs on the market that are produced by adding flaxseed, chia seed, fish oil/meal or marine algae to the hen's diet. The purpose of this paper is to compare chia with these other raw materials. Available information suggests that the level of ω-3 found in chia eggs could not be reached using flax, fish oil or algae based diets without negatively affecting the hens and/or one or more of the intrinsic characteristics of eggs. In all cases a limiting factor when feeding high percentages of the other ω-3 sources is flavor, smell and/or atypical texture transmitted by these products to the eggs. In the case of flax production also decreases. © 2008 Humana Press Inc.

Año de publicación:

2008

Keywords:

• Eggs
• ω-3
• FISH
• algae
• flax
• Chía

Fuente:

scopus