Effect of Dietary Sterculia foetida Oil on the Migration of 59Fe across the Egg Yolk Vitelline Membrane to Albumen in Stored Eggs

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Abstract
Experiments were conducted utilizing whole-body counting techniques to study the migration of 59Fe across the egg yolk vitelline membrane to albumen in eggs. The excretion of 59Fe by the laying hen was also determined. Sterculia foetida oil (SFO) significantly increased (P ≦ 0.01) the retention of 59Fe. The average biological half-life of 59Fe in hens fed the basal diet was shorter (45.2 days) than in the SFO hens (55.8 days). Eggs laid 4 to 5 days after dosing with 59Fe contained the greatest percentage of the dose administered. The average concentrations of 59Fe in the albumen of fresh eggs from basal and SFO hens were 0.70 and 0.98%, respectively. Eggs which developed pink whites during storage had a significantly greater (P ≦ 0.025) 59Fe content in egg albumen. A significant positive correlation (r = 0.81) was found to exist between the intensity of pink-white discoloration and the concentration of 59Fe in egg albumen. Thus, these results provide evidence that there was a diffusion of 59Fe from the yolk into the albumen in pink-white discolored eggs.