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Different sources of DHA and/or n-3 (omega-3) rich oils, oil emulsions and microencapsulated (ME) powders were tested at two different concentrations with the aim of producing fortified pan bread. Three oils (S-algae, fish and flax), two emulsified algae oils (Emulsion-P and Emulsion-L) and two ME oils (ME-S algae and ME-C algae) were compared. The DHA and n-3 oils replaced part of the shortening in order to obtain 32 g slices enriched with 25 or 50 mg DHA, 35 or 70 mg total n-3 from fish oil and 90 or 180 mg linolenic from flax oil. Addition of oils did not significantly affect water absorption but reduced mix time whereas addition of the ME oils decreased both water absorption and mix time. Breads enriched with flax or ME-C oils had lower volume and higher density than the control, ME-S algae, Emulsion-P and Emulsion-L breads. All breads lost texture throughout 14 d storage, the major changes occurred after 3 d. The ME-S algae oil bread had the best softness after 14 d storage whereas breads produced from ME-S algae or ME-C algae oils had the poorest texture. Sensory evaluations indicated that the color of the ME-S algae oil fortified bread was significantly less preferred than the other loaves. After 6 d the control bread had higher acceptability compared with the rest of the breads enriched with high levels of DHA or omega-3 oils. The high-enriched fish oil bread was well accepted during the first days of storage but had the least preferred acceptability after 13 d. The best fortified breads were those supplemented with S-algae oil, Emulsion-P and Emulsion-L oils.

The purpose of this study was to determine the potential toxicity of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich microalgae (DRM) from Schizochytrium sp., administered in the diet of growing swine. DRM was administered in the diet to groups of castrated male growing pigs (mixed commercial breeds, Landrace & Large White) reared from early weaned (weighing approximately 20 lbs) to approximately 250–270 lbs. Over the course of the 120 day study, animals were fed ad libitum four DRM treatment diets, each designed to optimize weight gain over the growing cycle, and a control diet. DRM was incorporated into the diet of the first treatment group at a level delivering 2.680 kg DRM per pig over the course of 120 days (a constant, whole-life exposure) equating to 598 g DHA per pig. DRM was incorporated into finisher diets only (administered over the last 42 days of the growing cycle) to treatment groups 2, 3, and 4 delivering 1.169, 3.391, and 5.746 kg DRM per pig (261, 756, and 1281 g DHA per pig). These levels represent approximately 1, 3, and 5 times the anticipated commercial dose and were delivered in a feeding strategy designed to mimic commercial use. Vitamin E was added to all diet groups to provide supplementary dietary antioxidant given the high content of polyunsaturated fat in DRM. There were no statistically significant treatment-related effects in clinical observations, body weights, food consumption, mortality, hematologic values, gross necropsy findings, organ weights or histopathology. The only DRM treatment-related changes were higher weight gain and feed conversion efficiency, anticipated results based on the increased fat content in the experimental DRM treatments. This study demonstrates that administration of DRM (at up to five times the anticipated commercial dose) did not produce any treatment-related adverse effects in commercial strains of swine.

Thirty-two lactating Karagouniko ewes were allocated at random to four groups for 6 weeks, to examine the effect of four diets: C (control treatment, ration without algae); LA (ration with low level of algae); MA (ration with medium level of algae) and HA (ration with high level of algae); containing 0, 23·5, 47 and 94 g algae, respectively, on the enrichment of milk and dairy products. Addition of algae reduced (PPP20[ratio ]5 (n-3) (0·4–2·1%), C22[ratio ]5 (n-6) (0·8–4·1%), C22[ratio ]6 (n-3) (4·3–12·4%) (P22[ratio ]5 (n-3) (2·1–3·1%) (P

In the last two decades, there has been an increasing interest in the inter-disciplinary subject of the chemical ecology of insects. A large part of this subject concerns the chemistry of the interactions between insects and their host plants. The cactus-microorganism-Drosophila model system of the Sonoran Desert provides an excellent opportunity to pursue the subject of chemical ecology in a system which is also amenable to the study of evolutionary and ecological genetics. By examining the chemical interactions between the desert Drosophila and their cactus host plants, insights into aspects of the habitat that impact on the fitness of the flies can be gained. The cactophilic Drosophila in this model system feed and breed in necrotic stems of columnar cacti. In order to do this, the flies must be able to locate suitable rot pockets, assimilate required nutrients, and be able to tolerate whatever toxic compounds might be present in the cactus tissue. Microorganisms which grow in the developing rot serve as a food source for the Drosophila as well as modify the cactus tissue both physically and chemically.