Effect of dietary lipid on lutein metabolism during aflatoxicosis in young broiler chickens.

The effect of concentration of dietary fat on pigmentation of broiler chickens was investigated in diets containing: 1) 0 or 1.4 micrograms of aflatoxin and 35 micrograms of lutein/kcal of diet; and 2) different levels of dietary fat (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10% cottonseed oil). Serum lutein and its metabolite, 3'-oxolutein, increased with increasing dietary fat until it reached a plateau at 6% fat. Aflatoxin significantly (P less than .05) lowered serum lutein and 3'-oxolutein at all levels of fat. Dietary fat and aflatoxin interacted significantly (P less than .05), with the effect of aflatoxin being greater at the low levels of fat than at the high fat levels. In the toe webs of the birds, the concentrations of lutein and its metabolites, lutein monoester, lutein diester, and 3'-oxolutein responded similarly to aflatoxin and to dietary fat, except that increasing the amount of dietary fat did not spare the effect of aflatoxin on 3'-oxolutein. The effect of chain length and the saturation of fatty acids on the absorption of lutein during aflatoxicosis was investigated in a factorial design for aflatoxin (0 and 4 micrograms/g of diet) and seven fatty acids at 5% of the diet. In control birds, lutein absorption was promoted by lauric = oleic greater than capric = linoleic greater than myristic greater than palmitic = stearic acids. Aflatoxin significantly (P less than .05) depressed the absorption of lutein regardless of the fatty acid present.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)