Immature soybean seeds. On the left is the usual green color; on the right, is seed expressing ß-carotene, the precursor for other carotenoids of agricultural importance.
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Several animals depend on naturally occuring carotenoids in their diet. These carotenoids can be important to animal health, but also contribute to animal products that are visually applealing to consumers. When raised in captivity, animals do not have access to their normal dietary carotenoids; consequently, these same carotenoids must be supplied in their diets. Yet, dietary supplementation with carotenoids does not come cheap, and can account for 15-25% of total feed costs. The most cost-economical way to incorporate these natural carotenoids back into the animal diets would be by producing them in the soybean used as feed for them.
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Immature soybean seeds. On the left is the usual green color; on the right, is seed expressing ß-carotene, the precursor for other carotenoids of agricultural importance. |
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One such carotenoid is canthaxanthin, which plays an important role in obtaining proper egg yolk coloration, as can be observed in the photo at right. Without carotenoids, egg yolks are white. Without red carotenoids, yolks can be an upleasant yellow color. Canthaxanthin is the pigment that gives flamingos their distinct coloration.
Salmon flesh obtains its coloration from astaxathin-- normally made by marine algae, and which bioaccumulates in the salmon food chain: |
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Below are salmon filets, showing how increasing levels of astaxathin in their diet affects product quality:
Finally, note that astaxanthin is also gives shrimp and crustaceans their distinctive red color. Furthermore, in the case of shrimp, sufficient astaxanthin in their diet is essential to their health:
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