A chick bioassay approach for determining the bioavailable choline concentration in normal and overheated soybean meal, canola meal and peanut meal.

The bioavailability of choline in normal and overheated soybean meal, canola meal and peanut meal was determined using a bas al soy-protein diet containing 2-amino-2 methyl-1 propanol, an inhibitor of choline biosynthesis. Feeding graded levels of choline, soy bean meal, canola meal and peanut meal resulted in linear increases in weight gain. Using multiple linear regression analysis, bioavailable choline concentrations were 1708, 1545 and 1203 mg/kg for soybean meal, canola meal and peanut meal, respectively. In an other experiment, no differences were found in bioavailability of normal and overheated soybean, canola or peanut meals. The bioavailable choline level in soybean meal, canola and peanut meals were 2002, 1464 and 1320 mg/kg, respectively. Percent bioavailable choline of the total choline in soybean meal was found to be 77 to 95 percent compared to 24-32 percent for canola meal. Even though canola meal contained about three times the total choline compared to soybean meal, soybean meal contained significantly m ore bioavailable choline. Overheating the oilseed meals does not seem to decrease the bioavailability of choline.

Emmert, Jason L. and David H. Baker. 1997. A chick bioassay approach for determining the bioavailable choline concentration in normal and overheated soybean meal, canola meal and peanut meal. J. Nutr. 127:745-752.