UVB exposure of farm animals: study on a food-based strategy to bridge the gap between current vitamin D intakes and dietary targets

Alexandra Schutkowski; Julia Krämer; Holger Kluge; Frank Hirche; Andreas Krombholz; Torsten Theumer; Gabriele I Stangl

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0069418

UVB exposure of farm animals: study on a food-based strategy to bridge the gap between current vitamin D intakes and dietary targets

PLoS One. 2013 Jul 24;8(7):e69418. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069418. Print 2013.

Authors

Alexandra Schutkowski¹, Julia Krämer, Holger Kluge, Frank Hirche, Andreas Krombholz, Torsten Theumer, Gabriele I Stangl

Affiliation

¹ Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency is a global health problem. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of ultraviolet (UV) B radiation for improving vitamin D3 content of eggs and meat. In a two-factorial design hens that received diets with 0 (-D3) or 3,000 IU (+D3) vitamin D3/kg were non-exposed (-UVB) or exposed to UVB radiation (+UVB) for 3 h daily over 4 weeks. Data show that UVB radiation was very effective in raising the vitamin D3 content of egg yolk and meat. Egg yolk from +UVB/-D3 hens had a higher vitamin D3 content (17.5±7.2 µg/100 g dry matter (DM)) than those from the -UVB/+D3 group (5.2±2.4 µg/100 g DM, p<0.01). Vitamin D3 content in egg yolk of vitamin D3-supplemented hens could be further increased by UVB radiation (32.4±10.9 µg/100 g DM). The content of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) in the egg yolk also increased in response to UVB, although less pronounced than vitamin D3. Meat revealed about 4-fold higher vitamin D3 contents in response to UVB than to dietary vitamin D3 (p<0.001). In conclusion, exposure of hens to UVB is an efficient approach to provide consumers with vitamin D3-enriched foods from animal sources.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Animals, Domestic
Chickens
Cholecalciferol / analysis*
Eggs / analysis*
Eggs / radiation effects
Meat / analysis*
Meat / radiation effects
Ultraviolet Rays*
Vitamin D Deficiency / diet therapy

Substances

Cholecalciferol

Grants and funding

Vitamin D analysis of this study was supported by a grant 0315668A from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Gemany. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. No additional external funding received for the remaining parts of this study.