Broad Application Prospects of Natural Lutein in Feed: Green Upgrading for Poultry and Aquaculture

Created on 01.29

Natural Lutein extractfrom Marigold flowers has a lot of potential applications in animal feed, especially for the green enhancement of poultry and aquaculture products. The natural golden fragrant extract derived from marigold flowers is silently transforming the product quality in the farming sector while also supporting sustainable development in the breeding industry.

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As customers are concerned about the appearance and quality of poultry products, the color of egg yolks and the pigmentation of broiler skin have become essential quality indicators. Natural lutein, a natural pigment extracted from marigold flowers and other plants, is gradually replacing synthetic pigments, which are widely used as a feed additive.

Lutein, a natural pigment, is used in larger amounts in feed for poultry, fish, and pets. It offers a green and safe way to color breeding industries. It also makes animals stronger and healthier.

Plant

Lutein is a plant carotenoid. Its chemical composition has two cyclohexene rings and a polyene chain in between. It is the polyene chain that renders it yellow or orange in color. The pigment is present in a great number of vegetables, fruit, and flowers, with the maximum concentration being found in marigold flowers. Marigolds are used predominantly in the production of feed-grade lutein.

Lutein, which is naturally obtained from marigolds, is physically refined and not chemically synthesized colorants. It is usually a yellow or orange powder with uniform consistency that makes it easy to combine with feed. Lutein is insoluble in water hence a fat-soluble substance and its chemical resistance is reduced by light and heat and pH.

The world marigold farming area enlarged from 50,000 mu in the start of 1990s to 450,000 mu in 2012, with a processing power of 8,000 tons, and this is 95% of the world marigold oleoresin production, which shows a continuous increase of the source supply.

Poultry Feed Application

Layers and broilers are the main uses of lutein in poultry feed. Studies indicate that lutein at a rate of 100 -2,000 g per ton of feed in layer diets brightens egg yolks to a natural golden-yellow hue. In broiler diets, adding lutein at 500 -4,000 g per ton of feed imparts a natural yellow color to broiler skin and fat, creating the desired market appearance of yellow skin and yellow fat.

Luteinis not naturally produced within the poultry and, therefore, should

be fed with their meals. Lutein is deposited in the eggs of layers without significant change, and it is still stable in the yolk of the egg. Lutein is not only a pigment in the eggs but also enhances the fertilization and hatching of eggs, and enhances the antioxidant activity of the liver.

According to research, the use of lutein in corn-soybean feed for layers over 7 days enhances nutrient value of the yolk by 6-7 points to 12-13 points, and lutein value by 0.3-0.5 mg to 1.5-2 mg. Broilers need 10-15 days to create yellow color on the skin after taking in lutein and that is why lutein supplements are normally used in the middle and final phases of the broiler farming process.

Application in Aquafeed

Luteinis a body color enhancer in the aquaculture industry, and in different species of fish, it has been shown to enhance the body color. Lutein has been demonstrated to elevate the yellow color of farmed fish such as yellow catfish, clarias catfish, goldfish, and koi. Fish cannot produce carotenoids or their pigments, and thus they require to obtain them through feeding.

Lutein accumulation in the body of fish does not occur uniformly. In koi fish, carotenoids build up in the skin and fins first before they are transported to the hepatopancreas and eyes and muscles. Lutein works a lot better when feed contains a certain amount of fat because it is a compound that needs a fat factor to be absorbed and used effectively as it is fat-soluble carotenoid.

According to research done on golden koi, when feeding a diet with 200mg/kg of lutein and 9.90% fat for 2 weeks, it results in an increment of pigmentation. The research on yellow catfish indicates that feeding with 24.2-1700 mg/kg of marigold extracted lutein has enhanced growth performances to a great extent.

Expanded Biological Functions

Beyond pigmentation, lutein possesses diverse biological functions. The lutein molecule contains 10 conjugated double bonds and hydroxyl groups on its terminal groups, which confer strong free radical scavenging ability. It exerts antioxidant effects by eliminating free radicals and quenching singlet oxygen.

Research demonstrates that lutein maintains the cellular and humoral immune systems to regulate the immune response. Dogs feeding on lutein diet over a period of 12 weeks showed a high level of serum IgG. Lutein feeding at a certain dosage in mice increased the number of cells that produce antibodies and the serum hemolysin half hemolysis value.

Lutein has also been shown to have anti-cancer properties. Studies have shown that dietary supplementation of marigold lutein at low levels in mice implanted with mammary gland cells can significantly reduce the development of breast cancer. At a concentration of 5 pmol/L, several carotenoids can inhibit the invasion of mouse hepatoma ascites cell lines.

Market Opportunity and Emerging Trends

The feeding sector is expanding and individuals are beginning to lead improved lives, hence consumers desire tastier meat and seafood rather than greater quantity. Natural food popularity has created an excellent market opportunity for natural lutein as animal feed.

Amid the tightening of safety regulations concerning feed additives, Chinese authorities have allowed marigold-basednatural luteinto be used as an additive in the feed of poultry, aquaculture species, and ornamental fish, and this approval serves as a regulatory foundation to support the use of this additive.

The study also proposes improved stability and bioavailability of lutein products. The research shows that broilers can absorb free lutein only. The lutein content of marigolds is more than 90% in an esterified form. To render it more available, it has to be saponified and hydrolyzed. The development of lutein products that are highly stable and have high bioavailability will be the primary objective of research in the future.

Due to the fact that individuals are becoming more observant of the appearance of livestock and poultry products, the demand fornatural luteinin the market will continue to increase. In the future, lutein will have even more benefits in-feed as improved extraction technologies and new preparations will be developed, and it will not only be used in poultry and aquaculture but also in other types of farmed animals. The demand for natural, nutritious feed additives is increasing in the world market and the lutein industry has a brighter future.

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