Chlorella vulgarisused to Colour Egg Yolk

Abstract

Dry biomass obtained from stressed cells of Chlorella vulgaris (rich in carotenoid pigments) was used as such in animal feed, instead of the commercial synthetic pigment. The in vivo effect of microalgal biomass as substitute pigment was ascertained with Hisex brown hens kept laying during 37 days under conventional conditions, and strongly suggested that yolk pigmentation was comparable to that obtained using commercial pigments, when comparable weight of colourant was formulated into the feed.