녹차가 계란의 품질 특성에 미치는 영향을 조사하기 위해 녹차 분말을 기존 산란계 사료(대조군)에 4%(A), 8%(B) 첨가하여 10주간 식이하게 한 후 생산된 계란의 이화학적 특성을 분석하여 나타낸 결과는 다음과 같다. Ca, K, P, Fe, Mg 등의 주요 무기질 함량은 계란의 부위(흰자, 노른자)에 관계없이 녹차 함량에 비려하여 증가하는 경향을 보였으나 무기질의 절대 양은 Mg 함량을 제외하면 흰자에서 보다는 노른자에 많았다. 무기질 원소

The effects of green tea on the physicochemical properties of eggs were investigated. One-hundred-and-fifty Isa Brown hens (27 weeks of age) were studied over 10 weeks. Green tea was added to the diet at levels of 4% and 8% w/w. The contents of Ca, K, P, Fe and Mg in eggs increased upon dietary supplementation with green tea powder, and were higher in the yolk than in the white, with the exception of Mg. The increase was greatest for Ca, from 41.0 mg% to 119.8 mg%, in egg white. For Fe, an increase from 3.7 mg% to 12.6 mg% was apparent in egg yolk. When hens consumed the green tea-supplemented diets, average egg weight decreased from 68.8 g to 64.4 g, but the total cholesterol content of egg yolk did not significantly change (control value: 1,899.1 mg% test value: 2,011.3 mg%). In sensory evaluation tests, egg white was similar in terms of astringency and grayness regardless of diet, and egg yolk was yellow-to-orange in color, and rated as fishy or slightly fishy, when green tea diets were administered. Such diets reduced pH values in all of the white, yolk, and white/yolk combination groups. The major fatty acids of egg yolk, constituting more than 90% of total fatty acids, were palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acid. Green tea diets reduced the saturated fatty acid level from 32.0% to 27.4% of total fatty acids, and unsaturated fatty acid levels increased from 68.0% to 72.6% in egg yolk.

• 조길석