Nutritive value and the maximum inclusion level of pennycress meal for broiler chickens.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the nutritive value and maximum safe level (MSL) of pennycress meal (PM) for broiler chicks. In experiment 1, a total of 480 chicks was fed either mash or crumbled diets containing zero, 5, 10, or 15% PM for 18 d (8 diets; 6 replications per diet). In experiment 2, a total of 660 chicks was fed mash diets containing zero, 3, 6, 9, 12, or 15% of either PM or canola meal (CM; a comparative reference) for 14 d (11 diets; 6 replications per diet). Analytical results show that PM is a good source of protein (∼31% CP) and it is very comparable to CM (∼36% CP). However, it contains higher erucic acid (∼1.68 vs. < 0.021%), glucosinolates (sinigrin) (∼63.5 vs. <0.163 µmol /g), and crude fiber (18.60 vs. 9.27%) compared to CM. In experiment 1, increasing PM from zero to 15% resulted in linear reductions (P < 0.05) in FI, BWG, and FCR at 10 days. Above 10%, performance responses were affected for FI and BWG at 18 d, respectively. An estimated MSL of 10% PM based on orthogonal contrast was optimal for satisfactory FI and BWG. The MSL as estimated by broken-line linear (BLL) and broken-line quadratic (BLQ) models was 9.12 ± 0.50 and 7.0 ± 1.27%, respectively. In experiment 2, growth performance at 14 d was reduced above 9% due to PM inclusion. CM inclusion did not affect growth performance at 14 d, suggesting 15% to be safe. The MSL for maximum growth performance varied depending on the statistical analysis as follows: 12% by orthogonal contrast and LSD, 15% by the Scheffé test, 10.84 ± 0.57 by BLL, and 8.61 ± 1.29 by BLQ. In conclusion, PM can be included in broiler starter diets as a protein source but its inclusion should be limited to no more than 8.5%. Different statistical procedures give different MSL and this should be considered when interpreting the data.

Mechanism of simmondsin decomposition during sodium hydroxide treatment.

Jojoba seed meal shows appetite-suppressing activity due to the presence of simmondsin. This pharmacological activity disappears with treatment of the meal with sodium hydroxide. To elucidate this mechanism of inactivation, the reaction of simmondsin in 1 N NaOH at 20 degrees C was monitored as a function of time. The end products of the reaction as well as intermediates were isolated and identified. The half-life of simmondsin was approximately 60 min with d-glucose and 2-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylacetonitrile as reaction end products. The reaction mechanism could be elucidated by the isolation of isosimmondsin and a simmondsin lactone derivative. Those compounds were isolated and purified by a combination of column chromatography and HPLC and identified mainly by HRMS and NMR spectroscopy.

Identification of 4,5-didemethyl-4-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosylsimmondsin and pinitol alpha-D-galactosides in jojoba seed meal (Simmondsia chinensis).

The isolation and identification of two pinitol alpha-D-galactosides from jojoba meal are described. The products were isolated by a combination of preparative HPLC on silica gel and TLC on amino silica gel and were identified by MS, NMR spectroscopy, and chemical derivatization as 5-O-(alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-3-O-methyl-D-chiro-inositol or 5-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-D-pinitol and 2-O-(alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-3-O-methyl-D-chiro-inositol or 2-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-D-pinitol. The same preparative HPLC method on silica gel allowed a new simmondsin derivative to be isolated and identified as 4,5-didemethyl-4-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosylsimmondsin mainly by NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Gas chromatographic analysis of simmondsins and simmondsin ferulates in jojoba meal.

A capillary gas chromatographic method was developed for the simultaneous determination of simmondsins and simmondsin ferulates in jojoba meal, in detoxified jojoba meal, in jojoba meal extracts, and in animal food mixtures.