Effect of Ammoniation of Canola Meal on the Fishy Odor and Trimethylamine Contents of Eggs Produced by Brown-Egg Layers

The effects of anhydrous and hydrous ammonia treatment of low glucosinolate-type rapeseed meal (canola meal) on the fishy odor and trimethylamine (TMA) contents of eggs from brown-egg layers fed rations containing such meals were studied. Four laying rations, each containing 10% of one of four canola meals (treated with or without anhydrous ammonia, with or without hydrous ammonia) and a control ration containing soybean meal were prepared. Each ration was fed to duplicate groups (5 birds per group) of brown-egg layers that had previously been found to lay eggs with a fishy odor when fed a ration containing 10% of commercial rapeseed meal. Hydrous ammonia treatment (5% w/w ammonia, 5% w/w steam) of canola meal during desolventization markedly reduced the TMA content of eggs from brown-egg layers fed a ration containing 10% of the ammoniated meal compared to eggs from birds fed a ration containing 10% of nonammoniated meal. No fishy odor was detected in the eggs from the birds fed the ration containing hydrous ammoniated meal.