Novel Formulated Fortified Blended Foods Result in Improved Protein Efficiency and Hepatic Iron Concentrations Compared with Corn-Soy Blend Plus in Broiler Chickens

BACKGROUND: Corn- and soybean-based fortified blended foods (FBFs) have been the primary food aid product provided by the United States. Sorghum and cowpea have been suggested as alternative FBF commodities because they are drought-tolerant, grown in food aid–receiving areas, and not genetically modified. Extrusion processing has also been suggested to improve the quality of these FBFs. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the protein quality and iron and vitamin A bioavailability of novel FBFs in broiler chickens. METHODS: Whey protein concentrate (WPC)–containing FBFs corn-soy blend 14, sorghum-soy, and sorghum-cowpea (SC); a soy protein isolate (SPI)–containing SC FBF (SC+SPI); 2 reformulated, overprocessed SC FBFs (O-SC+WPC, O-SC+SPI); and a nonextruded WPC-containing SC FBF were developed. Nonextruded corn-soy blend plus (CSB+), a currently used FBF, and a gamebird starter/grower diet were used as comparison diets. In the prepared FBF study, 9 groups of 8-d-old broiler chicks (n = 10) consumed prepared FBFs for 21 d. In the dry study, 8 groups of 4-d-old broiler chicks (n = 24; control: n = 23) consumed dry FBFs for 14 d. Results were analyzed by 1-factor ANOVA with least-significant-difference test. RESULTS: In the prepared study, novel formulated FBFs significantly increased caloric and protein efficiency and nonsignificantly increased body weight gain, despite similar food intake compared with CSB+. In the dry study, novel formulated FBFs, except for O-SC+SPI, significantly increased food intake, caloric efficiency, and protein efficiency and nonsignificantly increased body-weight gain compared with CSB+. Novel formulated FBFs nonsignificantly and significantly increased hepatic iron concentrations compared with all FBFs in the prepared and dry studies, respectively. CONCLUSION: Novel formulated FBFs, apart from O-SC+SPI, resulted in improved protein efficiencies and hepatic iron concentrations compared with CSB+, suggesting that they are of higher nutritional quality.