| abstract |
A method of pigmenting the egg yolk, integuments and/or subcutaneous fat of poultry, and the meat and/or integuments of fish and crustacea, by including one or more carotenoids in the feed of such poultry, fish and crustacea is characterized in that said carotenoids are carotenoid esters of the formula wherein R signifies methyl, C3-16-alkyl, C3-16-alkenyl or C5-8-cycloalkyl. Further embraced by the invention are the pertinent carotenoid-enriched feed for poultry, fish or crustacea, the premixes for incorporation in such feeds, beadlets containing one or more of these carotenoid esters for incorporation in such premixes and the use of the carotenoid esters in the pigmenting method. Some of the carotenoid esters of formula I are new compounds, and these constitute a further aspect of the present invention. |