The Study
Nutritional supplementation of ahiflower seed and press cake in laying hens and its effect on production performance, nutrient digestibility, egg quality, and yolk omega-3 fatty acid enrichment during mid- to post-peak production phase
This study gave different foods to chickens and saw what changed in their eggs — like how much omega-3s ended up in the yolk. It didn't test if those eggs make people healthier, just that the chicken's eggs changed because of what they ate.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Scientists fed hens a special seed called ahiflower to see if it makes their eggs richer in good omega-3 fats, like the ones in fish.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 518 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — these omega-3 fats help reduce inflammation and support brain and heart health in people who eat the eggs.
- 2Hens fed 10% ahiflower seed laid eggs with 15x more SDA, 5.6x more EPA, and 91% more DHA than normal eggs — even more DHA than eggs from hens fed flaxseed.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Poultry Science
Year
2025
Authors
Roseline O. Ogory, Greg Cumberford, K. Schwean-Lardner, R. Newkirk, D. Adewole
Related Content
Claims (5)
Feeding 36-week-old White Leghorn hens a diet containing 10% ahiflower seed raises the levels of stearidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid in their egg yolks by specific multiples compared to control hens, while maintaining normal egg production, egg quality, and energy digestibility.
Laying hens fed 10% ahiflower press cake gain more body weight than those fed 1% ahiflower seed, but their egg production, feed efficiency, and energy digestion remain unchanged.
When laying hens are fed 10% ahiflower seed, their eggs contain more DHA than eggs from hens fed 10% flaxseed, even though flaxseed has more oil.
Adding 10% ahiflower seed or flaxseed to chicken feed increases the alpha-linolenic acid content in egg yolks by more than six times compared to standard feed, without changing the ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids or the total amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the yolks.
Eggs from hens fed grain instead of their natural diet of pasture and insects contain higher levels of pro-inflammatory lipids.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.