ES2558953B1 - Corn enriched in antioxidants to improve the nutritional quality of the egg - Google Patents

Abstract

Corn enriched in antioxidants to improve the nutritional quality of the egg. # The present invention relates to a nutritive or nutraceutical composition comprising a part of a corn plant enriched in antioxidants or a derivative thereof and with the uses of said composition for Obtaining eggs enriched in antioxidants. The invention also relates to the use of a part of a corn plant enriched in antioxidants or a derivative thereof for obtaining eggs enriched in antioxidants. The invention also relates to an egg and egg products derived from said egg obtained according to the uses of the invention.

Description

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DESCRIPTION

RICH CORN IN ANTIOXIDANTS TO IMPROVE QUALITY

NUTRITIONAL OF EGG

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention falls within the field of food technology and particularly in the development of new corn and the improvement of the nutritional quality of the egg.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Carotenoid pigments are compounds responsible for the coloration of large numbers of plant and animal foods, such as carrots, oranges, tomatoes, salmon and egg yolk. It has been known for many years that some of these compounds, such as a and p-carotene, as well as p-cryptoxanthin, are provitamins A. However, recent studies have shown the antioxidant properties of these pigments, as well as their effectiveness in prevention of certain diseases of the human being, such as atherosclerosis or even cancer. On the other hand, epidemiological observations seem to indicate that the consumption of foods rich in carotenoids is related to a lower risk of chronic diseases.

Carotenoids have been shown to potentiate both specific and non-specific immunological functions. Various immunological modulation reactions can increase the tumoricidal activity of cytotoxic T cells, macrophages and / or natural killer cells and promote immunological antimicrobial functions. For example, beta-carotene can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events, having been demonstrated in clinical studies. Additionally, population groups that consume foods rich in beta-carotene are more protected against skin and lung cancers, particularly smokers. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the physiological activity of carotenoids. The most plausible is based on the strong antioxidant character and its ability to deactivate harmful chemicals such as singlet oxygen, free radicals and lipid peroxide radicals. Too

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There is evidence that several carotenoids produce a direct stimulation of the immune system and the immune response.

All this has meant that from a nutritional point of view, interest in these pigments has increased markedly.

The consumption of poultry eggs and especially chicken (92% of the world total, FAO 2012) is widespread throughout the world, being an essential element in the diet of many people representing an important contribution of carotenoids. During 2012, almost 72 MT of eggs were consumed worldwide, of which more than 66 MT were from chicken eggs (FAO, 2012). Consumers appreciate a high color in the yellow-orange range in the egg yolk, considering this characteristic as a determinant at the time of purchase and as a reflection of the quality of the eggs.

The utilization of carotenoids in poultry goes beyond its pigmenting properties of egg yolk and the skin and legs of chickens. Apart from the pigmenting effect, these carotenoids also fulfill a series of important functions in the animal. Thus, its antioxidant effects, immune system stimulators and the improvement of the productive parameters of the birds are known, especially in the reproductive efficiency and the obtaining of viable chicks, as well as acting as precursors of vitamin A.

The hens can deposit carotenoids in the yolk of the egg and it is these carotenoids that will give it the typical color. Since hens cannot synthesize these molecules, it is mandatory that they be contributed by the diet, mainly by corn, alfalfa and other green vegetables.

The composition of the different diets that are usually supplied to chickens, even if they include raw materials rich in carotenoids, do not achieve a sufficient concentration in the yolk to meet the requirements of the consumer, being necessary to add them in the form of additives, which are obtained by extraction from the marigold flower petals (Tagetes erecta), or from chemical synthesis.

However, these sources of carotenoids have disadvantages, since corn carotenoids are more bioavailable than those of Tagetes erecta and the synthesis

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Carotenoid chemistry requires a high level of control and can produce compounds with undesirable effects and which may be allergens in certain consumers.

Therefore, as an alternative they try to identify other sources of carotenoids such as pigments obtained from Phaffia rhodozyma yeast biomass, Haematococcus pluvialis algae, Chrlorococcum sp or Dietzia natronolimnacea bacteria (Esfahani-mashhopur M. et al., Asian- Aust. J. Anim. Sci. Vol. 22, No. 2: 254-259). However, there are few microorganisms capable of satisfying the demands.

The food supplement of laying hens with different varieties of carrots manages to increase the carotenoid content of the egg, however the intake in the hens is reduced which results in the weight of the eggs obtained and the yolk decreases when supplemented with any of the varieties tested and even the laying rate is reduced (Hammershoj M. et al., J Sci Food Agric 2010; 90: 1163-1171).

Therefore, there is a need to find alternatives for obtaining eggs with better nutritional quality and particularly enrich them in antioxidants.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect the invention relates to a nutritive or nutraceutical composition comprising a part of a corn plant enriched in antioxidants or a derivative thereof.

In a second aspect, the invention relates to the use of a nutritive or nutraceutical composition of the invention for obtaining eggs enriched in antioxidants.

In a third aspect, the invention relates to the use of a part of a corn plant enriched in antioxidants or a derivative thereof for obtaining eggs enriched in antioxidants.

In a fourth aspect, the invention relates to an egg and egg products derived from said egg obtained according to the uses of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

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Figure 1. Carotenoids in feed in ^ g / g of feed (5 determinations).

Figure 2. Carotenoids in egg yolk at 31 days after the experiment. Values are the mean ± standard error of 5 samples * C427 is B-cryptoxanthin-5,8-epoxide.

Figure 3. Carotenoids in chicken liver at the end of the experiment. Values are the mean ± standard error of 5 samples. * C450 is B-carotene-5,6-epoxide or B-carotene-5,6,5 ’, 6’-diepoxide. M37W-Ph3 is the antioxidant enriched lmea.

Figure 4. Carotenoids in hen endowed at the end of the experiment without retinol in order to observe the other values on another scale. * C450 mainly B-carotene-5,6-epoxide or B-carotene-5,6,5 ’, 6’-diepoxide.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The authors of the present invention have been able to improve the nutritional quality of the egg by feeding the hens with corn varieties enriched in antioxidants (Example 1).

Definitions

The term "nutritional composition" of the present invention refers to that food that, regardless of providing nutrients to the subject who takes it, beneficially affects one or more functions of the organism, so that it provides a better state of health and well-being. As a consequence, said nutritional composition may be intended for the prevention and / or treatment of a disease or the causative factor of a disease. Therefore, the term "nutritional composition" of the present invention can be used as a synonym for functional food or food for specific nutritional purposes or medicinal food. A nutritional composition has an appearance similar to that of a conventional food and is consumed as part of a normal diet.

By "nutraceutical", a word derived from nutrition and pharmaceutical, is meant a product made from a food, but found as an illustrative example not

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limiting, in the form of pfldora, powders and other pharmaceutical presentations not generally associated with food and presenting beneficial properties for the treatment and / or prevention of diseases.

By "corn plant", as used in the present invention, it refers to a photosynthetic living being belonging to the Zea mays species. Said term also includes the various subspecies.

A "part of a plant", as used in the present invention, refers to a specific part of a plant, such as stem, leaf, root, flower, seed, endosperm, grain, fruit or yolk.

"Derived from a part of the plant" refers to a product obtained after the processing of a part of the plant of the invention from the physical and / or chemical modification, by way of illustration, not limitation, flour, semolina, oil, syrup, starch or facula. Said term does not include an isolated antioxidant.

According to the invention, the corn plant is "enriched in antioxidants," that is, it has higher levels of molecules capable of retarding or preventing oxidation of other molecules, compared to a reference level. Antioxidants are responsible for capturing free radicals produced in the oxidation reactions of the metabolism. Illustrative non-limiting examples of antioxidants are carotenoids, lutema, lycopene, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E.

"Seed" as used in the present invention, refers to each of the bodies that are part of the fruit that gives rise to a new plant.

The term "endosperm," as used in the present invention, refers to the main organ of storage in corn seeds, nourishing the embryo while the seed develops and providing nutrients to the young germination plant.

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By "seed derivative or endosperm", as used in the present invention it refers to any product obtained from the physical and / or chemical modification of the seed or endosperm.

The term "flour" as understood in the present invention, is the product obtained from the milling of any seed of plants of the Zea genus that may be stripped to a greater or lesser extent of the bran or seed husk.

The term "semolina" refers to coarse flour (poorly ground corn seeds), that is, endosperm fragments with a variable amount of seed husk.

"Corn oil", as used in the present invention, refers to the oil obtained after drying the germinated corn grain.

By "corn starch". As used, it refers to a finally ground white silky powder made from the dry corn endosperm.

"Corn flake" is the polysaccharide obtained through wet milling.

"Corn syrup", also known as corn syrup, is a liquid sweetener made from starch or corn starch after a heating and hydrolyzing process.

"Carotenoids," as used in the present invention, refers to organic pigments found naturally in plants and other photosynthetic organisms. The majority of carotenoids are tetraterpenoids, composed of 40 carbon atoms formed by eight isoprenoid units and contain rings at one or both ends of the molecule. They can function as antioxidants, protecting against self-oxidation.

"B-carotene" as used in the present invention refers to the most abundant carotenoid in nature, a precursor to vitamin A with CAS number 12-88-4.

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"V-carotene", according to the present invention refers to the carotenoid with CAS number 47293-5.

"A-carotene" as used in the present invention, refers to the vitamin A precursor carotenoid with CAS number 7488-99-5

"A-cryptoxanthin", according to the present invention, refers to the carotenoid with CAS number 472-70-8

"B-cryptoxanthin", as used in the present invention, refers to the compound with CAS number 472-70-8.

"Lycopene" as used in the present invention refers to the fat-soluble plant pigment with CAS number 502-65-8 of red color.

"Lutein" as used in the present invention refers to a dihydroxylated derivative of yellow a-carotene with CAS number 127-40-2.

"Zeaxanthin", as used herein, refers to the yellow fat-soluble pigment with CAS number 144-68-3.

By "transgenic corn plant", as used in the present invention, refers to that corn plant whose genome has been modified by genetic engineering in order to achieve different and / or improved biological characteristics with respect to those of the isogenic plant wild.

By "transgene" as used in the present invention, it refers to a sequence that encodes a gene of an organism that has been incorporated into the genome of another organism of the same or different species. The resulting organism is called transgenic.

By "Phytoeno synthase" or psyl as used in the present invention it refers to the gene that codes for the enzyme that catalyzes the reaction that converts two GGDP molecules into phytoene, the first step in the synthesis of provitamin A. sequence that

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encodes for Zea mays phytoeno synthase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1.

"Carotene desaturase" or crtI, as used in the present invention, refers to the gene that codes for the enzyme responsible for the production of lycopene from three substrates, neurosporene, an electron acceptor and oxygen. The sequence coding for E eurodovora carotene desaturase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2.

"Lycopene B-cyclase" or Lycb, as used in the present invention, refers to the gene that codes for the enzyme that transforms lycopene into provitamin A. The sequence that codes for Lycopene B-cyclase from G. lutea It has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 3.

"B-carotene hydroxylase" or bch, as used in the present invention, refers to the gene that codes for the enzyme responsible for the conversion of beta-carotene to xanthophylls. The sequence coding for Z. mays B-carotene hydroxylase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4.

"Carotenoid ketolase" or crtw as used in the present invention, refers to the gene that codes for the enzyme responsible for adding a carbonyl group with carbon 4 and 4 'of the beta carotene molecule. the carotenoid ketolase of Paracoccus sp. It has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 7.

By "sequence for the targeting of proteins to chloroplast", as used in the present invention, it refers to sequences of importation to chloroplast, stoma and which are generally sequences rich in Ser, Thr and small and low content hydrophobic residues of low Glu and Asp. Said sequence is located at the N-terminal end within the shield and is eliminated after addressing. Illustrative, non-limiting examples of such sequences are those present in enzymes of the Calvin cycle and which are encoded by nuclear genes and transported to the chloroplast after their synthesis in the cytosol, for example all other enzymes of the Calvin cycle, except the subunit Big of the Rubisco.

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"The small subunit of Ribulose 1,5 bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase", as used in the present invention, refers to the regulatory subunit. The pea protein sequence has access number P00868 from the Uniprot database as of October 14, 2015.

"Transcription terminator sequence" or stop signal, as used in the present invention, refers to a sequence in the DNA that when recognized by RNA polymerase, the mRNA is separated and mRNA synthesis is interrupted.

"Nopalin synthase", as used in the present invention, refers to a protein with oxidoreductase activity and whose sequence of Agrobacterium tumefaciens corresponds to the sequence with access number WP_032488658. 1 in the Genbank database as of October 8, 2014

“ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase” The sequence corresponding to the protein in rice has accession number BAF80188.1 from the Genbank database as of December 29, 2014.

"Specific endosperm promoter", as used in the present invention, refers to a nucleic acid molecule that allows directing or regulating the expression of a gene in the endosperm. The "endosperm" is a characteristic formation of Angiosperm seeds, it is a nutritious tissue for the embryo. The corn endosperm originates from a series of free nuclear divisions, followed by cellization and subsequent formation of a range of functional cell domains. The endosperm is the main storage organ of corn seeds; It nourishes the embryo while the seed develops and provides nutrients to the germination plant.

"D-hordema of barley", as used in the present invention, refers to the protein with accession number Q40054 of the Uniprot database as of October 14, 2015. In a particular embodiment, the promoter of D-hordema has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12.

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"LMW wheat glutenin", as used in the present invention, refers to protema with accession number Q41603 from the Uniprot database as of October 14, 2015. In a particular embodiment, the promoter of LMW of glutenin has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 11.

"Gamma zeina", as used in the present invention, refers to a corn reserve protein and corresponding to the sequence with access number Q548E9 in the Uniprot database on October 14, 2015.

"Astaxanthin", according to the present invention is a carotenoid belonging to the phytochemical series of terpenes with CAS number 472-61-7.

"Violaxanthin", as used in the present invention refers to a derivative of alpha and beta carotene with CAS number 126-29-4.

"Anteraxanthin" refers to a yellow pigment with CAS number 640-03-9.

"Cantaxanthin", as used in the present invention refers to the compound with CAS number 514-78-3.

"Adonixanthin" corresponds to the compound with CAS number 4418-73-9.

"Adonirubin", according to the present invention refers to the compound with CAS number 4418-72-8.

"3-OH equinenone" refers to the compound product of the enzyme EC 1.14.13.

"Zeaxanthin", as used in the present invention, refers to a yellow carotenoid of the group of xanthophylls with CAS number 114-68-3.

"Z-phytoen" refers to the compound with CAS number 540-04-5.

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"Phytoeno", as used in the present invention, refers to an intermediate of 40 carbon atoms in the biosynthesis of carotenoids.

"Beta carotene ketolase", as used in the present invention, refers to the enzyme encoded by the crtW gene and which catalyzes the two stages of introduction of the oxo group into the beta-yonone ring of beta-carotene by both extremes The sequence coding for C. reinhardtii beta carotene ketolase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 14.

"Beta carotene hydroxylase", as used in the present invention, refers to the enzyme encoded by the crtZ gene and which is involved in the two stages of hydroxylation of the beta-yonone ring of beta carotene at both ends. The sequence that codes for the beta carotene hydroxylase of Brevidomonas sp. It has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 15.

"Lycopene epsilon cyclase", as used here, refers to an enzyme that acts on the lycopene-all-trans carotenoid that has psi-terminal groups at both ends, in a first step it becomes 5-carotene; and then in £ -carotene.

"RNAi" or interfering RNA ", as used in the present invention, refers to RNA molecules capable of silencing the expression of a gene. To that end, RNAi are typically double stranded oligonucleotides that are at least 30 base pairs in length, and more preferably comprise about 25, 24, 23, 22, 21,20, 19, 18 or 17 base pairs of ribonucleic acids . The siRNA of lycopene epsilon cyclase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 16.

"Crossing," as used in the present invention, refers to the sexual reproduction of two plants, resulting in offspring inheriting part of the genetic material of each parent. Relative organisms must be genetically compatible and can be of different varieties or of very close species. The crossing originally occurs under natural cross pollination between plants whose genetic constitution is different.

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"Corn line with high oil level", as used here, refers to a corn plant that presents in its grains a greater amount of oil when compared to a variety of wild corn, preferably at least more than 6% when compared with a wild variety that generally has between 3.5 and 5% oil.

“NSL30876”, also known as R78, is a line of transgenic corn with a high level of oil.

"Codons suitable for expression in plants", as used refers to the use of a suitable nucleotide sequence so that after transcription and translation the amino acid sequence of the resulting protein is not altered, as a consequence of the preference of codon usage.

"Region 5'UTR", as used in the invention, the region not translated into position 5'also known as the leading region is known, refers to the region of mRNA that is immediately prior to the initiation codon. This region is not translated, but forms a secondary structure to regulate the translation.

"Alcohol dehydrogenase", according to the invention is an enzyme that facilitates the interconversion between alcohols and aldehydes or ketones with the reduction of NAD + to NADH. The rice protein class 3 dehydrogenase protein has the sequence with access number Q0DWH1 in the Uniprot database as of September 16, 2015.

"Eggs enriched in antioxidants", as used in the present invention refers to those eggs whose antioxidant content, that is to say molecules capable of retarding or preventing oxidation of other molecules, is increased compared to a reference level in Common eggs, from birds that have not been fed with a corn enriched in antioxidants, By increased as used in the present invention the level is referred to at least 1.1 times, 1.5 times, 5 times, 10 times, 20 times, 30 times, 40 times, 50 times, 60 times, 70 times, 80 times, 90 times, 100 times or even more with respect to the reference value in common eggs.

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"Bird" as used in the present invention, refers to the vertebrate animal having the modified forelimbs as wings, with the body covered with feathers and a corneal peak without teeth.

"Poultry" includes domestic birds bred by man to obtain eggs, meat and / or feathers. Examples of poultry include roosters, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, quails, pheasants, pigeons, pigeons, emues, ostriches and nandues.

"Hen", as used in the present invention, refers to the female animal from the genus Gallus gallus domesticus.

"Egg" as used in the present invention refers to a rounded body, of different size and hardness, produced by the females of the birds and containing the germ of the embryo and the substances intended for nutrition during incubation.

"Egg products" as used in the present invention refers to processed products resulting from the transformation of eggs, various components or mixtures of eggs, or the subsequent transformation of such processed products. Egg products can be classified according to different criteria. , by its components, by its physical form and treatment, by its way of employment or by the duration of its commercial life.

Compositions of the invention.

In a first aspect, the invention relates to a nutritive or nutraceutical composition comprising a part of a corn plant enriched in antioxidants or a derivative thereof.

The expression "nutritive or nutraceutical composition" is used herein in a broad sense and covers food for humans as well as food for production animals (ie, a feed). In a preferred aspect, the composition

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Nutritious or nutraceutical is for animal consumption. The nutritive or nutraceutical composition may be in the form of a solution or as a solid, depending on the use and / or the mode of application and / or the mode of administration.

It is understood that a part of a corn plant or a derivative thereof is enriched in antioxidants, when it has antioxidant levels higher than the levels of a reference sample or control sample. In particular, a part of a plant or derivative thereof can be considered to have higher levels of antioxidants when the levels are at least 1 time, 1.5 times, 5 times, 10 times, 20 times, 30 times, 40 times, 50 times, 60 times, 70 times, 80 times, 90 times, 100 times or even more with respect to the reference sample or control sample. The person skilled in the art will understand that it is not necessary for an antioxidant-enriched plant to contain high levels of said antioxidants in all tissues of said plant, but it is sufficient that at least one plant tissue contains high levels of antioxidants so that The plant can be considered as "enriched in antioxidants." In that case, the reference sample to determine the degree of antioxidant enrichment is determined by comparison with antioxidant levels is a sample of the same tissue or part of a control plant. The level of a single type of antioxidant is also included by antioxidant level.

A control or reference sample, as used in the present invention, may be the value that corresponds to the levels of antioxidants present in a part of a corn plant or derived therefrom that is in the wild, it is say not genetically modified.

The person skilled in the art knows various methods to determine if a corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in antioxidants, for example by determining antioxidant levels, particularly carotenoids by HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) or by determining the increase in antioxidant capacity

The antioxidant capacity can be determined by quantifying the ability of antioxidant compounds to react with a given free radical,

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or determining the potential such compounds would have to reduce the complex formed between Fe (III) ions and the TPTZ reagent (2,4,6-tripyridyl-s-triazine).

Among those tests that are based on the measurement of the ability of antioxidants to react with a free radical, the following should be noted: ORAC test ("Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity" or oxygen radical absorption capacity), TEAC test (Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity or Antioxidant Capacity as Trolox Equivalents) and DPPH Test (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrilhidrazil).

The nutritional or nutraceutical compositions of the invention comprise at least 0.01% of the part of a plant enriched in antioxidants or derived therefrom, more preferably at least 0.10%, 0.50%, 1%, 2 %, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 15% 20%, 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80 %, 90%, or, at least 95%.

In a particular embodiment, the nutritive or nutraceutical composition of the invention comprises at least 50 to 80% of a part of a corn plant enriched in antioxidants or a derivative thereof.

In another more particular embodiment the nutritional or nutraceutical composition of the invention comprises at least 60 to 70% of a part of a corn plant enriched in antioxidants or a derivative thereof, more particularly at least 61, at least 62 , at least 63, at least 64, at least 65, at least 66, at least 67, at least 68, at least 69.

In another particular embodiment, the part of the corn plant is the endosperm, the seed or derivatives thereof. By way of illustrative, non-limiting example, the derivative of the seed or endosperm can be a flour, semolina, corn oil, corn starch, corn starch or corn syrup among others.

The nutritive or nutraceutical composition according to the present invention can be prepared directly from the part of the plant enriched in antioxidants. In a preferred embodiment, the part of the plant is the endosperm or corn kernels, in which case said composition contains at least 40%, preferably more than 50% or more preferably more than 60%.

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Alternatively, the part of the plant that is used to prepare the nutritive or nutraceutical composition according to the present invention can be subjected to a partial purification to obtain a derivative enriched in the antioxidant product. Thus ^ in the case that the antioxidant compounds are carotenoids and that the part of the plant that is used is the endosperm, the nutritional composition or the nutraceutical contain an extract of corn kernels or endosperm that can be partially- or fully purified so that the carotenoid content is higher than what appears in the part of the enriched corn plant. Corn derivatives that can be used in the present invention include cornmeal, corn bran, corn oil, corn starch, corn syrup, and the like.

Thus, for example, according to the present invention, it is possible to extract the carotenoids present in the part of the corn plants or derivatives thereof to obtain a nutritive or nutraceutical composition.

The person skilled in the art knows various methods for extracting carotenoids from a part of a corn plant, such as extraction from frozen endosperms and HPLC, as described in Naqvi S. et al., PNAS 2009, vol. 106, not 19.

As one skilled in the art will understand, the nutritional or nutraceutical composition of the invention must comply with the regulations and food legislation of the country.

There are various known methods for the preparation of nutritional and nutraceutical compositions widely known to those skilled in the art and which can be used in the present invention.

The compositions of the invention or nutraceuticals may be in a liquid, semi-solid or solid form. In a particular embodiment the compositions or nutraceutical of the invention are in solid form and more particularly it is a feed.

The nutritive or nutraceutical compositions of the invention can be formulated with the usual excipients and adjuvants for oral compositions or food supplements, such as and without limitation, fatty components, aqueous components, humectants, preservatives, texturizing agents, flavors, aromas, antioxidants and common dyes in the food sector.

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The nutritional needs of animals are well known in the state of the art. For example, the nutritional needs of poultry are described in Gail Damerow The Chicken Encyclopedia: An Illustrated Reference. Storey Publishing. pp. 118-119, 135-136 and in the book Animal Nutrition handbook, section 12 pages 316-331.

Nutritive compositions useful for poultry feed, and in particular fattening for broilers, broiler chickens (weeks 0 to 8), chick rearing (week 9 -20) or starting from week 21a are known in the state of the art, for example in ES2051706T3.

In a preferred form, the antioxidants enriched in a corn plant are carotenoids.

In another particular embodiment of the nutritional or nutraceutical composition of the invention, the part of a corn plant or a derivative thereof is enriched in carotenoids that are selected from the group consisting of p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, acryptoxanthine, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema, zeaxanthin and combinations thereof (nutritional composition A or nutraceutical A).

In a particular embodiment of the nutritional composition A or nutraceutical A, the corn plant or derivative thereof enriched in carotenoids is enriched in only one of the carotenoids selected from the group consisting of p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene , a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin.

In a particular embodiment of the nutritive composition A or nutraceutical A of the invention, the corn plant or derivative thereof enriched in carotenoids is enriched in at least 2 carotenoids, by way of illustration it is enriched in p-carotene and and carotene; p-carotene and a-carotene; p-carotene and acryptoxanthin; p-carotene and p-cryptoxanthin; p-carotene and lycopene; p-carotene and lutema; p-carotene and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene and a-carotene; Y-carotene and a-cryptoxanthin; Y-carotene and p-cryptoxanthin; Y-carotene and lycopene; Y-carotene and lutema; Y-carotene and zeaxanthin; a-carotene and a-cryptoxanthin; a-carotene and p-cryptoxanthin; a-carotene and lycopene; a-carotene and lutema; a-carotene and zeaxanthin; a-cryptoxanthin and p-cryptoxanthin; a-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; a-cryptoxanthin and lutema; a-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene;

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p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; lycopene and lutema; lycopene and zeaxanthin; or in lutema and zeaxanthin.

In another embodiment of the nutritive composition A or nutraceutical A of the invention, the maize plant derived from it enriched in carotenoids is enriched in at least 3 carotenoids, by way of illustration it is enriched in p-carotene, and- carotene and a-carotene; p-carotene, Y-carotene and a-cryptoxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene and p-cryptoxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene and lycopene; p-carotene, Y-carotene and lutema; p-carotene, Y-carotene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene and a-cryptoxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene and p-cryptoxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene and lycopene; p-carotene, a-carotene and lutema; p-carotene, a-carotene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and p-cryptoxanthin; p-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; p-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and lutema; p-carotene, acryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; p-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; p-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, lutema and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene and a-cryptoxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene and p-cryptoxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene and lycopene; Y-carotene, a-carotene and lutema; Y-carotene, a-carotene and zeaxanthin; and carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and p-cryptoxanthin; Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; and carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and lutema; Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; Y-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; Y-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, lycopene and lutema; Y-carotene, lycopene and zeaxanthin; y- carotene, lutema and zeaxanthin; a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and p-cryptoxanthin; a-carotene, acryptoxanthine and lycopene; a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and lutema; a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; a-carotene, lycopene and lutema; a-carotene, lycopene and zeaxanthin; a-carotene, lutema and zeaxanthin; a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; acryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; to-

cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin or enriched in lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin.

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In another embodiment of the nutritive composition A or nutraceutical A of the invention, the maize plant enriched or derived from it in carotenoids is enriched in at least 4 carotenoids, by way of illustration it is enriched in p-carotene, Y - carotene, a-carotene and a-cryptoxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene and p-cryptoxanthin; P-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene and lycopene; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene and lutema; P-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and p-cryptoxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; p-carotene, Y-carotene, acryptoxanthin and lutema; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; p-carotene, Y-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; p-carotene, Y-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, Y-carotene, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and p-cryptoxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; p-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and lutema; p-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; p-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; p-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, a-carotene, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, acryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; p-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; p-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-

cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, p-

cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and p-cryptoxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and lutema; Y-carotene, a-carotene, acryptoxanthine and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; Y-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; Y-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; and carotene, a-carotene, lycopene and lutema; Y-carotene, a-carotene, lycopene and zeaxanthin; and carotene, a-carotene, lutema and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; Y-carotene, acryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; and carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; Y-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and

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zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; a-carotene, a-

cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; a-carotene, a-

cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and

zeaxanthin; a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; a-carotene, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; a-cryptoxanthin, p-

cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; or enriched in

cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin.

In another embodiment of the nutritive composition A or nutraceutical A of the invention, the maize plant derived from it enriched in carotenoids is enriched in at least 5 carotenoids, by way of illustration it is enriched in p-carotene, Y- carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and p-cryptoxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, acryptoxanthin and lycopene; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and lutema; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; p-carotene, Y-carotene, acryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, acryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, Y-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; p-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; p-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-

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carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene, p-

cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and

zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; 3-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, acryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-

cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; and carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene, acryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; Y-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; Y-carotene, acryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and

zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-

cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin or enriched in a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin.

In another embodiment of the nutritive composition A or nutraceutical A of the invention, the maize plant derived from it enriched in carotenoids is enriched in at least 6 carotenoids, by way of illustration it is enriched in p-carotene, Y- carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lycopene; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and lutema; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, acryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin, p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, Y-

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carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-

carotene, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-

cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-

cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene, acryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene, a-

cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene, p-

cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-

cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-

cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-

cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; Y-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; and carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin or enriched in acarotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin.

In another embodiment of the nutritive composition A or nutraceutical A of the invention, the maize plant derived from it enriched in carotenoids is enriched in at least 7 carotenoids, by way of illustration it is enriched in p-carotene, Y- carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutema; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; p-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin; or enriched in y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin.

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In another particular embodiment of the nutritional composition A or nutraceutical A of the invention, the corn plant or derivative thereof enriched in carotenoids is enriched in p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p- cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema and zeaxanthin.

In another embodiment of the nutritional composition A or nutraceutical A of the invention, the corn plant or derivative thereof enriched in antioxidants is a transgenic corn plant that expresses at least one transgene encoding a phytoen synthase and a transgene encoding a carotene desaturase. More particularly, the corn plant further expresses a transgene selected from the group consisting of a transgene encoding a lycopene p-cyclase, a transgene encoding a p-carotene hydroxylase and a transgene encoding a carotenoid ketolase.

In another particular embodiment, the sequences of the transgenes have codons adapted for expression in plants.

A person skilled in the art can know and determine the sequence of the aforementioned transgenes.

In another more particular embodiment, the transgene encoding the phytoeno synthase comes from Zea mays and has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, the transgene encoding the carotene desaturase comes from Erwinia eurodevora and has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 , the transgene encoding lycopene p-cyclase comes from Gentiana lutea and has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 3, the transgene encoding p-carotene hydroxylase comes from Zea mays and has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4 or comes from Gentiana lutea and has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 and the transgene encoding the carotenoid ketolase comes from Paracoccus sp. It has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 7.

In a particular embodiment, the corn plant is white corn or yellow corn. White corn refers to a variety of corn in which the endosperm has a white color, as a result of the absence of carotenoid pigments that confer yellow color to the endosperm of the corn known as yellow corn.

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A person skilled in the art knows the appropriate techniques for the generation of transgenic plants. For a review of the genetic transfer to plants, including vectors, DNA transfer methods, etc., see, for example, Twyman RM, 2004, Handbook of Plant Biotechnology. John Wiley & Sons Inc., NY, pp 263-289, or Komari et al., 2004 Handbook of Plant Biotechnology. John Wiley & Sons Inc., NY, pp 233-262.

Briefly, said methods may include: 1) use of a live vector that carries the genetic material to the white cell by means of genetically modified viruses or the natural mechanism of infection of the soil bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens, 2) The use of protoplasts, which are cells plants that have been freed from the cell wall, or 3) the biolistic that consists of bombarding the cells with microscopic metallic particles coated with the DNA that you want to introduce.

Specifically, for the generation of transgenic corn plants, the introduction of DNA into corn cells has been proposed including electroporation, microinjection, microprojectile bombardment, liposome fusion, Agrobacterium-mediated transfer, macroinjection and exposure to naked DNA in solution. .

To ensure that the gene contained in the recombinant DNA molecule is expressed in the appropriate levels and tissues, it is desirable, but not necessary for genes of plant origin, that this content in an expression cassette that includes a promoter sequence of the functional transcription in plants, the coding part of the gene of interest and a terminator of functional transcription in plants. Additionally, a sequence encoding a transit peptide that directs the enzyme to a specific cell compartment can be included. The transit peptide and the corresponding processing signals can be derived from any plant protein that is synthesized in the cytoplasm and translocated to the subcellular compartment of interest, either the plastid or the mitochondria. For example, sequences derived from genes encoding the small subunit of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase or CAB proteins that are those that bind to chlorophylls a and b for formal light harvesting antennas can be used in plastids (Van den Broek et al Nature (London) 313, 358-363 (1985)).

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In the case of genes that are not of plant origin, a promoter must be included in the transcription initiation sequence and an optimal translation initiation signal for plants or one of the so-called translation enhancers can also be used.

According to the present invention, if the transgene comes from an organism that is not of plant origin, then the proteins encoded by said transgene form part of a fusion protein that comprises at position N with respect to the protein encoded by said gene, a sequence of addressing proteins to the chloroplast.

Thus, if the transgene encoding the carotene desaturase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, then the carotene desaturase is part of a fusion protein that comprises in position N with respect to the carotene desaturase a sequence for protein targeting to chloroplast.

In a particular embodiment, the sequence for chloroplast protein targeting is the small subunit sequence of the Ribulose 1.5 bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase, and more particularly it has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 8.

In another particular embodiment, at least one of the transgenes additionally has at the 3 'end a transcription terminator sequence. The transcription terminator sequence can be derived from the same gene from which the transcription promoter sequence was obtained or from a different gene. The terminator sequence can be derived from genes contained in the T-DNA of the Ti plasmid from Agrobacterium, from the cauliflower mosaic virus or from genes of plant origin. For example, the terminating sequence of the nopaline synthetase gene is frequently used in plant genetic engineering. More particularly, the terminator sequence used is the terminator sequence of the gene encoding nopaline synthase or the terminator sequence of the gene encoding ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. Even more particularly, the nopaline synthase terminator sequence has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 9 and the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase terminator sequence has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 10.

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In an embodiment of the present invention when the corn plant expresses the transgene corresponding to the phytoen synthase with the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, said sequence additionally presents at the 3'-end the nopaline synthase terminator sequence with the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 9.

In another particular embodiment, when the corn plant expresses the transgene corresponding to carotene desaturase it has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, said sequence additionally present at the 3'-terminus sequence of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase SEQ ID NO: 10. In another embodiment, the carotene desaturase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, then the carotene desaturase is part of a fusion protein comprising in position N with respect to the carotene desaturase a sequence for addressing proteins to chloroplast, and additionally at the 3'-end it presents the terminating sequence of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase SEQ ID NO: 10.

The transgenes that can be used in the present invention can be placed under the control of regulatory elements that ensure expression in plant cells. In general, such regulatory elements comprise an active promoter in plant cells.

Therefore, promoters that can be used include promoters of the plant to be transformed, promoters of other plants or of any origin that are functional in the white plant and direct a constitutive, inducible or specific tissue expression. For example, promoters derived from the Ti plasmid of Agrobactertum tumefaciens can be used, such as the promoters of octopine synthetase, nopahna synthetase or sgropin synthetase. In addition, other promoters such as the 35S promoter of cauliflower mosaic virus or those derived from geminivirus can be included. For a review of useful promoters, see Peremarti A. et al, Plant Mol Biol 73: 363378.

Temporary, inducible or specific tissue expression can be achieved through the use of promoters or regulatory sequences that have the desired expression specificity.

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In order to achieve expression in specific tissues of a transgenic plant it is possible to use tissue specific promoters (see Stockhaus, EMBO J. 8 (1989), 2245-2251). Promoters are also known that are specifically active in seeds of different plant species, such as corn.

Regulatory elements may additionally comprise functional transcription and / or translation enhancers in plant cells. Additionally, the regulatory elements may include transcription termination signals, such as a poly-A signal, which lead to the addition of a poly-A tail to the transcript that can improve its stability.

In a particular embodiment the transgene or transgenes is under the control of a specific endosperm promoter.

Specific endosperm promoters useful in the present invention are, among others, gene promoters that code for seed storage proteins, Galili et al., 1993, Trends Cell Biol 3: 437-442. Prolamines are the most abundant cereal storage proteins, in corn the zemas (zemas a, p, and 5- zemas, in wheat the glutenins, in barley hordema, secalin in rye and acenin in oats.

Illustrative, non-limiting examples of specific endosperm promoters that can be used in the present invention are among others the promoters of wheat LMW glutenin, barley hordema, rice prolamine, rice glutelin 1, corn zema, zeina 27 Kda , ADP-glucose rice pyrophosphorylase, rice glutelin I as described in Russel DA. et al., Transgenic research 6, 157-168 (1997). Also useful are the promoters of MEG-1 as described in EP1680506B1.

In a particular embodiment, the specific endosperm promoter is the D-hordema promoter or the LMW glutenin promoter. More particularly, the D-hordema promoter is barley with sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12 or LMW wheat glutenin promoter with sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 11.

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In a preferred form of realization, the phytoeno synthase gene is under the control of the LMW glutenin promoter, preferably of the LMW wheat glutenin promoter. In another preferred embodiment, the carotene desaturase gene is under the control of the D-hordein promoter, preferably of the barley D-hordein promoter.

The different nucleic acid sequences that are part of the recombinant DNA molecule can be linked by conventional methods described in the literature. The sequences must be cloned and linked in the correct orientation and order to achieve functional expression in plant cells.

According to one of the aspects of this invention, the plants of interest are transformed with one or more recombinant DNA molecules. In the development of the recombinant molecule, the different nucleotide sequences that compose it and that comprise the regulatory sequences of the transcription and the coding sequence of interest, may have been subject to different types of processing, such as ligaments, digestion with restriction enzymes , in vitro mutagenesis, addition of oligonucleotides or modifications by means of the chain polymerization reaction (PCR). Therefore, the components of the recombinant molecule before being bound may be subject to deletions, insertions or internal modifications. Since the recombinant molecule is derived from components that originate from different organisms and that have been isolated, purified or synthesized, it is not a molecule that exists as such in nature.

Depending on the transformation method used to introduce the recombinant molecule to the plant cell of interest, the inclusion of other DNA sequences may be necessary. For example, it is necessary to include a molecular donation vector that allows its replication in E. coli and, for some cases, that allows replication in A. tumefaciens. For the use of the Agrobacterium Ti plasmid-mediated genetic transformation system to introduce the recombinant molecule into the genome of the plant cell, it is necessary to include the T-DNA border sequences, so that they are present at both ends of the gene which encodes the enzyme that synthesizes organic acids and in some cases the dominant selection gene. The use of strains of

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Disarmed agrobacterium, that is, those whose genes responsible for tumor formation have been removed, but which maintain the ability to transfer DNA to plant cells, allows the regeneration of transgenic plants that contain the recombinant molecule of interest.

A dominant selection gene is also generally included to identify and select the cells that stably incorporated the recombinant molecule into their genome. As an illustrative, non-limiting example, the marker genes can be the mutation rrn16 (16S rRNA) that confers resistance to spectinomycin and streptinomycin, the mutation rps12 (ribosome) that confers resistance to

Streptinomycin, aadA gene (E. coli) that encodes the 3 'adenyltransferase aminoglycoside enzyme that confers resistance to the antibiotic spectinomycin and streptinomycin, nptll gene from the bacterial transposon Tn5 encodes the enzyme neomycin phosphotransferase that confers resistance to the antibiotic kanamycin, the antibiotic kanamycin, the antibiotic 6 of Acinetobacter baumannii that encodes the enzyme aminoglycoside phosphotransferase which confers resistance to the antibiotic kanamycin, E. coli cat gene confers resistance to chloramphenicol, ASA2 gene responsible for the analog resistance of tryptophan, the Streptomyces hygroscopicus bar gene that codes for The enzyme phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT) that confers resistance to phosphinothricin and the Streptomyces viridochromogenes pat gene convert ammonium glufosinate into nacetyl glufosinate which is a non-phytotoxic compound for the plant.

In a preferred embodiment the selection gene is the bar gene. In a more particular embodiment, the bar gene has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 5.

Depending on the type of selection gene that is included, it may be advisable that once the transgenic plant has been identified, the plant selection marker gene is eliminated.

In another particular embodiment of the nutritive or nutraceutical composition of the invention, the part of the corn plant or a derivative thereof is enriched in a carotenoid selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin , beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH

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equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen, phytoen and combinations thereof (nutritional composition B or nutraceutical B).

In a particular embodiment of the nutritional composition B or nutraceutical B of the invention, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in only one of the carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen, phytoen.

In another particular embodiment of the nutritive composition B or nutraceutical B, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 2 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoene and phytoen, including any combination thereof.

In another particular embodiment of the nutritive composition B or nutraceutical B, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 3 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH

equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen and phytoen, including any combination thereof.

In another particular embodiment of the nutritive composition B or nutraceutical B, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 4 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, canthaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH

equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen, phytoen and combinations thereof.

In another particular embodiment of the nutritive composition B or nutraceutical B, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 5 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH

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equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen and phytoen, including any combination thereof.

In another particular embodiment of the nutritive composition B or nutraceutical B, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 6 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH

equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen and phytoen, including any combination thereof.

In another particular embodiment of the nutritive composition B or nutraceutical B, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 7 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH

equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen and phytoen, including any combination thereof.

In another particular embodiment of the nutritive composition B or nutraceutical B, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 8 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH

equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen and phytoen, including any combination thereof.

In another particular embodiment of the nutritive composition B or nutraceutical B, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 9 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH

equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen and phytoen, including any combination thereof.

In another particular embodiment of the nutritional composition B or nutraceutical B, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 10 carotenoids

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selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen and phytoen, including any combination thereof.

In another particular embodiment of the nutritive composition B or nutraceutical B, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 11 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH

equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen and phytoen, including any combination thereof.

In another particular embodiment of the nutritive composition B or nutraceutical B, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 12 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH

equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen and phytoen, including any combination thereof.

In another particular embodiment of the nutritional composition B or nutraceutical B, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 13 carotenoids, specifically astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene,

cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH equinenone,

zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen and phytoen.

In another embodiment of the nutritive or nutraceutical composition B of the invention, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof enriched in antioxidants expresses a transgene encoding a phytoen synthase, a transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase and a transgene encodes a beta carotene hydroxylase. In another embodiment of said composition, the antioxidant-enriched corn plant additionally expresses a specific RNAi of the corn lycopene epsilon cyclase.

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In another embodiment of the nutritive or nutraceutical composition of the invention the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in a carotenoid selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta -criptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH equinenone and combinations thereof (nutritional composition C or nutraceutical C).

In a particular embodiment of the nutritive composition C or nutraceutical C, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in only one of the carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene , cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin and 3-OH equinenone.

In another embodiment of the nutritive composition C or nutraceutical C, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 2 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta -criptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin and 3-OH equinenone,

including any combination thereof.

In another embodiment of the nutritive composition C or nutraceutical C, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 3 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta -criptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin and 3-OH equinenone,

including any combination thereof.

In another embodiment of the nutritive composition C or nutraceutical C, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 4 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta -criptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin and 3-OH equinenone,

including any combination thereof.

In another embodiment of the nutritive composition C or nutraceutical C, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 5 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene,

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Cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin and 3-OH equinenone, including any combination thereof.

In another embodiment of the nutritive composition C or nutraceutical C, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 6 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta -criptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin and 3-OH equinenone,

including any combination thereof.

In another embodiment of the nutritive composition C or nutraceutical C, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 7 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta -criptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin and 3-OH equinenone,

including any combination thereof.

In another embodiment of the nutritive composition C or nutraceutical C, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 8 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta -criptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin and 3-OH equinenone,

including any combination thereof.

In another embodiment of the nutritive composition C or nutraceutical C, the part of the corn plant or derivative of the same nutraceutical is enriched in 9 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin and 3-OH equinenone, including any combination thereof.

In another embodiment of the nutritive composition C or nutraceutical C, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in 10 carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta -criptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin and 3-OH equinenone, including any combination thereof.

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In another embodiment of the nutritive composition C or nutraceutical C of the invention, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof enriched in antioxidants comes from the cross between a corn line with high oil level and a corn expressing a transgene which encodes a phytoeno synthase, a transgene that encodes a beta carotene ketolase and a transgene that encodes a beta carotene hydroxylase. In a more particular embodiment, corn expressing a transgene encoding a phytoen synthase, a transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase and a transgene encoding a beta carotene hydroxylase further expresses a specific RNA of lycopene epsilon cyclase corn.

The person skilled in the art knows various methods to identify a corn plant with a high level of oil, by way of illustrative non-limiting example by determining the content of corn grain oil using the methodology described in Galicia, L., E. Nurit, A. Rosales, and N. Palacios-Rojas. 2009. Maize Nutrition Quality and Plant Tissue Analysis Laboratory. Laboratory Protocols 2008. International Corn and Wheat Improvement Center. Mexico DF. 42 p. A corn plant can be considered to have a high level of oil, when the level of oil in the corn kernels is at least 6% higher than the grain content of a wild corn.

In another particular embodiment of the nutritive composition C or nutraceutical C of the invention, the corn line with high oil level is the NSL30876 line.

In a particular embodiment of the nutritive compositions B and Co nutraceuticals B and C of the invention, the sequences of the trangenes have adapted the codons for their expression in plants.

In another particular embodiment of the compositions B and C of the invention the transgene encoding a phytoeno synthase comes from Zea mays and has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, the transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase comes from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and has The sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 14, the transgene encoding a beta carotene hydroxylase comes from Brevidomonas sp. and has the

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sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 15 and / or the specific RNAi of corn lycopene epsilon cyclase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 16.

In another particular embodiment of the compositions B and C of the invention if the transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 14 and / or the transgene encoding a beta carotene hydroxylase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 15, then the protein encoded by said genes is part of a fusion protein that comprises a sequence for the direction of chloroplast proteins. Particularly, the sequence for chloroplast protein targeting is the sequence that encodes the small subunit of the Ribulose 1.5 bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase and more particularly the sequence that encodes the small subunit of the Ribulose 1.5 bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 8.

In another particular embodiment of the compositions B and C of the invention, at least one transgene or RNAi is under the control of a specific endosperm promoter, particularly the specific endosperm promoter is selected from the D-hordema promoter, the LMW glutenin promoter and gamma-zein promoter. More particularly, the D-hordema promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12, the LMW glutenin promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 11 and the gamma-zein promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO : 13.

In another embodiment, the transgene further comprises at the 3 'end the 5'UTR region of the rice alcohol dehydrogenase gene, more particularly said region has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 17.

Uses of the compositions of the invention.

In another aspect, the invention relates to the use of a nutritive or nutraceutical composition according to any one of the invention (nutritive composition A, Bo C, or nutraceutical composition A, B or C) for obtaining eggs enriched in antioxidants.

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One skilled in the art knows various methods for determining the level of antioxidants as explained in detail above, in relation to a plant enriched in antioxidants.

The compositions of the invention can be used to obtain antioxidant-enriched eggs from any female oviparo individual that is fed with said compositions.

In a preferred embodiment the eggs are eggs of a poultry, more particularly of chicken.

Uses of a part of an antioxidant-enriched maize plant or a derivative thereof

In another aspect, the invention relates to the use of a part of a corn plant enriched in antioxidants or a derivative thereof for obtaining eggs enriched in antioxidants.

In a particular embodiment of the use of the invention, the part of the corn plant is the endosperm, the seed or derivatives thereof.

In another particular embodiment, the antioxidants that are enriched in a part of a corn plant or in a derivative thereof are carotenoids.

In a more particular embodiment of the use of the invention, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in carotenoids selected from the group consisting of p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p -criptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema, zeaxanthin and combinations thereof (use A of the invention)

In a particular embodiment of the use A of the invention, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in only one of the carotenoids, or in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 selected from p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema, zeaxanthin and combinations thereof.

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All the aforementioned combinations, in relation to the nutritive composition A or nutraceutical A of the invention, are equally applicable to this aspect.

In another embodiment of the use A of the invention, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof enriched in antioxidants is a transgenic corn plant that expresses at least one transgene encoding a phytoen synthase and a transgene encoding a carotene desaturase. In another embodiment, the corn plant further expresses a transgene selected from the group consisting of a transgene encoding a lycopene p-cyclase, a transgene encoding a p-carotene hydroxylase and a transgene encoding a carotenoid ketolase.

In a particular embodiment, the sequences of the transgenes have the codons adapted for expression in plants.

In a particular embodiment, the transgene encoding the phytoen synthase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, the transgene encoding the carotene desaturase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, the transgene encoding the lycopene p-cyclase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 3, the transgene encoding p-carotene hydroxylase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4 or SEQ ID NO: 6 and / or the transgene encoding carotenoid ketolase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 7.

In another more particular embodiment, if the transgene encoding a carotene desaturase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 then the protein encoded by said gene is forming part of a fusion protein comprising at the 5 'end a sequence for Chloroplast protein targeting, more particularly the sequence encoding the small subunit of Ribulose 1.5 bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase, and more particularly said sequence, has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 8.

In another embodiment, if the transgene encoding a phytoen synthase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, said sequence additionally presents at the 3 'end the nopaline synthase terminator sequence with the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 9.

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The trangenes may additionally present at the 3 'end a transcription terminator sequence, particularly the nopaline synthase terminator sequence or the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase terminator sequence. More particularly the nopaline synthase terminator sequence has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 9 and the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase terminator sequence has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 10.

According to this aspect, at least one transgene is under the control of a specific endosperm promoter, particularly the specific endosperm promoter is the D-hordema promoter or the LMW glutenin promoter. More particularly, the D-hordema promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12 and the LMW glutenin promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 11.

In another embodiment, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen, phytoen and combinations thereof (use B of the invention).

In a particular embodiment of the use B of the invention, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in only one of the carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin , beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen and phytoen.

In a particular embodiment, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in only one of the carotenoids, or in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13 selected from astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH equinenone,

zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen and phytoen, including all possible combinations.

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In a particular embodiment of the use B of the invention, the part of the plant derived from it enriched in antioxidants expresses a transgene encoding a phytoeno synthase, a transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase and a transgene encoding a beta carotene hydroxylase, and more particularly expresses additionally a specific RNAi of corn lycopene epsilon cyclase.

All the combinations mentioned above, in relation to the nutritional composition B or nutraceutical B of the invention, are equally applicable to the use B of the invention.

In another particular embodiment, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3 -OH equinenone and combinations thereof (use C of the invention).

In a particular embodiment of the use C of the invention, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in only one of the carotenoids selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin , beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin and 3-OH equinenone.

In a particular embodiment, the part of the corn plant or derivative thereof is enriched in only one of the carotenoids, or in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, selected from astaxanthin , violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH equinenone including all possible combinations.

All the combinations mentioned above, in relation to the nutritive composition C or nutraceutical C of the invention, are equally applicable to this aspect.

In a particular embodiment of the use C of the invention, the antioxidant-enriched corn plant comes from the cross between a corn line with a high level of oil,

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particularly the NSL30876 line and a corn expressing a transgene encoding a phytoen synthase, a transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase, a transgene encoding a beta carotene hydroxylase. More particularly, the plant additionally expresses a specific RNAi of corn lycopene epsilon cyclase.

In another particular embodiment, the trangenes sequences have the codons adapted for expression in plants. More particularly, the transgene encoding a phytoen synthase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, the transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 14, the transgene encoding a beta carotene hydroxylase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 15 and / or the specific RNAi of corn lycopene epsilon cyclase with sequence SEQ ID NO: 16.

At least one transgene or RNAi can be found under the control of a specific endosperm promoter, particularly the specific endosperm promoter is selected from the D-hordema promoter, the LMW glutenin promoter and the gamma-zein promoter and more particularly the D-hordema promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12, the LMW glutenin promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 11 and the gamma-zein promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 13 .

In another particular embodiment of the uses B and C of the invention, if the transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase has the sequence SEQ ID NO: 14 and / or the transgene encoding the beta carotene hydroxylase has the sequence SEQ ID NO : 15, then the transgene presents at the 5 'end a sequence for the addressing of proteins to the chloroplast. More particularly, the sequence for chloroplast protein targeting is the sequence encoding the small subunit of Ribulose 1.5 bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase, more particularly, the sequence encoding the small subunit of Ribulose 1.5 bisphosphate Carboxylase- Oxygenase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 8.

In another particular embodiment, the transgene further comprises at the 3 'end the 5'UTR region of the rice alcohol dehydrogenase gene, more particularly the

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5'UTR region of the rice alcohol dehydrogenase gene has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 17.

In another particular embodiment, the eggs are eggs of a poultry, particularly chicken.

All the previously described embodiments and limitations are equally applicable to this aspect.

Egg and egg products

In another aspect, the invention relates to an egg and egg products derived from said egg obtained according to any use of the invention, specifically the use of the nutritive or nutraceutical composition A, B or C, or uses of the part of a corn plant enriched in antioxidants A, B or C.

As the person skilled in the art will understand, the eggs of the invention are obtained after feeding a female bird with a nutritive or nutraceutical composition A, B or C or with a corn plant enriched with antioxidants A, B or C.

All the previously described embodiments and limitations are equally applicable to this aspect.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Corn Transformation

Ma ^ z

Corn (Zea mays) variety M37W (white endosperm) was obtained from CSIR, Pretoria, South Africa. The NSL 30876 high oil line called R38 in this description was kindly provided by the USDA, ARS, NCRPIS, Iowa State University, Regional Plant Introduction Station, Ames, Iowa, United States, 50011-

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1170. Both varieties, the selected transgenic line and the crosses, were grown in the greenhouse at 28/20 ° C temperature d / a night temperature with a photoperiod of 10-h and 60-90% humidity during the first 50 d ^ as, followed by maintenance at 21/18 ° C temperature d / a / night temperature with a photoperiod of 16-h thereafter.

The M37-pH3 line has been previously described in ES2501367A2 and in Naqvi S. et al, PNAS, 2009 vol ,. 106, no. 19 pages 7762-7767.

The M37-BKT line was crossed with M37W and NSL30876 and homozygous generations T2 and T3 were derived by self-fertilization. They were frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80 ° C before use, samples of immature seeds endosperm collected 30 days after pollination (DAP).

Vector construction and transformation

1) -Construction P326-Zmpsy1 comprising the Zea mays phytoeno synthase 1 cDNA directed by the wheat glutenin promoter LMW.

The PSY1 cDNA (phytoeno synthase 1) from Zea mays (zm) was cloned from the lmea consangumea B73 by RT-PCR with the direct primer 5'- AGGATCCATGGCCATCATACTCGTACGAG-3 '(SEQ ID NO: 18) with the BamHI site ( underline) and reverse primer 5'-AGAATTCTAGGTCTGGCCATTTCTCAATG-3 '(SEQ ID NO: 19) with EcoRI site (underlined). Plasmid P326-ZmPSY1 (Zhu et al. 2008 Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105: 18232-18237) is under the control of the LMW glutenin promoter (Colot et al. 1987 EMBO J 6: 3559-3564).

2) - pHorP-RNAi-Zmlyce construct comprising the 417 bp long fragment of the corn lycopene epsilon-cyclase mRNA (SEQ ID NO: 16) chosen to construct the double strand of the RNAi construct driven by the promoter of the D-hordema of barley SEQ ID NO: 12) together with the selection bar gene (SEQ ID NO: 5) driven by the promoter of the ubiquitin-1 gene of the corn (SEQ ID NO: 24).

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A fragment of LYCE cDNA (lycopene epsilon cyclase from ma ^ z) was amplified by RT-PCR with ZmLYCE cDNA as a template using the direct primer (5'-ggaattctctagacgatctcggcgccgctcggctgct-3 ') (SEQ ID NO: 20) with EcoRI sites and Xbal (underlined) and the reverse primer (5'-gactagtggatcccaatgagacctacagtgagacct-3 ') (SEQ ID NO: 21) with Spel and BamHI sites based on sequence information in GenBank (access numbers EF622043 as of September 4, 2009) . This sense DNA was cloned into the pHorP vector (S0rensen et al. 1996 Molec Gen Genetics 250: 750-760) containing the hordema D promoter of barley (SEQ ID NO: 12) with a 306 base pair fragment of the gusA gene (SEQ ID NO: 25) and the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase terminator through restriction with XbaI and BamHI and the antisense LYCE fragment at SpeI and EcoRI sites.

3) - Construction pGZ63-sCrbkt, which comprises truncated and chemically synthesized sCrbkt (beta-carotene ketolase) from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii fused with the small subunit of the pea rubisco (SSU) and the 5 'non-translatable region (5'UTR) of the Rice alcohol dehydrogenase gene, driven by the corn gamma-zema promoter (the useful sequence of the sCrbkt codon was modified for corn).

The truncated gene p-carotene ketolase (sCrBKT) Chlamydomonas reinhardtii chemically synthesized (Zhong et al. 2011 J Exp Bot 62: 3659-3669) was fused to the small subunit of Rubisco pea (SSU) (Schreier et al. 1985 EMBO J 4 : 25-32) (the CrBKT and codon SSU was modified to a preference of monocot plants, whose sequence is shown in SEQ ID NO: 22) and the 5 'untranslated region (5'UTR) of the alcohol dehydrogenase gene of Rice (SEQ ID NO: 17) (Surgio et al. 2008 J Biosci Bioeng 105: 300302) was inserted into the vector pGZ63 (Zhu et al. 2008 Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105: 1823218237) between the Y-zema promoter and The terminator We are using the BamHI and SacI restriction sites.

4) - Construction pGZ63-sBrcrtZ. The beta-carotene hydroxylase (sBrcrtZ) gene chemically synthesized from Brevundimonas sp. SD212 fused with the SSU (small subunit of Rubisco) of pea and 5'UTR of the rice dehydrogenase alcohol gene,

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driven by the endosperm specific gamma-zema corn promoter (the useful codons of BrcrtZ were modified to dicotyledonea-rapeseed plant type).

The Crtz gene encoding the beta-carotene hydroxylase from Brevundimonas sp. SD212 Strain (MBIC 03.018) (Nishida et al. 2005 Appl Environ Microbiol 71: 4286-4296) was chemically synthesized according to the use of Brassic napus codons (accession number AB377272 from the GenBank database 16, June 2010 ) and kindly provided by Dr. Norihiko Misawa, Ishikawa Prefecture University, Japan). The sBrCRTZ gene fused with the small Rubisco (SSU) pea subunit and the 5'-untranslated region (5'UTR) of the rice alcohol dehydrogenase gene was digested with BamHI and SacI. The chimera formed by Crtz with optimized codons and SSU corresponds to SEQ ID NO: 23 The digested fragments were cloned into the BamHI and SacI site of pGZ63 with the corn gamma zema gene promoter to generate pGZ63-sBrCRTZ. The bar gene encoding phosphinothricin N-acetyltransferase (Thompson et al., 1987 EMBO J 6: 2513-2518) was used as a selectable marker.

The procedure used for the transformation of M37W corn is described in Zhu et al. 2008, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105: 18232-18237. M37M-BKT- plants with the highest accumulation of astaxanthin were crossed with a high oil line (NSL30876) to generate NSL30876-BKT.

Selection of the elite production line of astaxanthin and other ketocarotenoids

The best BKT line with high production of astaxanthin and other ketocarotenoids in the endosperm was chosen for the crosses with the corn line with high oil level NSL30876, also called R78 (Jugenheimer RW Euphytica 10 (1961): 152156, and the book Specialty corns, Hallauer Arnel R. Chapter 5 "High-oil corn hybrids” Robert J. Lambert)

The NSL30876 x M37W BKT (F3) overexpressing hybrid line produced astaxanthin levels of up to 18.83 ^ g / g dry weight. The amount of total ketocarotenoids reached approximately 35 ^ g / g dry weight (more than 73% of the total carotenoids - 48.63 ^ g / g dry weight). The expression was specifically confirmed in the endosperm

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of corn by transfer mRNA analysis of all introduced transgenes involved in the target metabolic pathway.

Egg quality analysis

To determine the quality of the egg, the thickness of the shell was measured by means of a 4001-DIG specific micrometer (Baxlo Precision, Polinya, Spain), with a sensitivity of 1j and provided with contacts for curved surfaces. Egg weight, color according to DSM SCALE (DSM yolk fan color (DYCF), albumen height and Haugh Units (UH = 100 x Log [Dense clear height -1.7 x (egg weight) 0 , 37 + 7.57] were measured with the Egg Analyzer ™ (ORKA Technology Ltd., Ramat Hasharon, Israel).

Carotenoid Analysis

The samples for the analysis of carotenoids were collected on day 0 of the experiment to check the level of carotenoids of the egg yolk that the animals fear in the farm, on day 13 to be able to verify if the period of depletion had managed to decrease the carotenes in the yolk, already day 20 and 30 to see the evolution and differences in the amounts of carotenes of the different treatments experienced. The samples were frozen at -80 ° C, subsequently lyophilized and sent for analysis. The analysis technique was as follows:

Total carotenoids, were extracted in 20 ml of methanol containing 6% KOH at 60 ° C and for 15-20 minutes. The lipophilic compounds were separated in a solution with 30% ether in petroleum and the upper phase was collected. Total carotenoids were determined by measuring absorbance at 450 nm. For separation by HPLC, the solvent was evaporated in nitrogen vapor at 37 ° C, dissolved in 100 jL of methanol / dichloromethane (50:50) and an aliquot of 20 jl was injected immediately. The compounds were separated on a 15 cm column Nucleosil C18 3- | j with acetonitril / methanol / 2-propanol (85: 15: 5) v / v / v in mobile phase at 20 ° C. The samples were monitored with a Kontron DAD 440 photodiode detector, with online spectrum recording. All carotenoids were identified by chromatography with authentic reference compounds, which were biosynthesized in E.coli as described

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Sandmann (Sandmann, G. (2002) Combinatorial biosynthesis of carotenoids in a heterologous host: a powerful approach for the biosynthesis of novel structures. ChemBioChem. 3: 629-635) and their spectra were compared. These standards were also used for quantification, in combination with Davies extinction coefficients (Davies, BH (1976) Carotenoids. In: Chemistry of Plant Pigments (Goodwin, TW, ed), pp. 149-155. London, UK : Academic Press). Retinol was purchased from Sigma Chemicals. Conjugated retinoic acid (RAC), derived from retinol, was identified by the typical spectrum of retinoic acid with maximum peaks at 328, 350 and 368 nm. It was quantified using retinol as a standard with correction by the extinction coefficient mM for retinol (45.0 for 325 nm) and retinoic acid (53.5 for 350 nm)

EXAMPLE 1

As shown below, the contribution of Vitamin A, carotenes and ketocarotenoids to laying hens is possible exclusively and completely through corn incorporated into the diet, through the use of two varieties obtained by genetic engineering and expressing high amounts of carotenes and ketocarotenoids. The sufficiency in the contribution of carotenes from the point of view of the consumer is marked when the usual commercial values of yellow-orange color in the fresh egg yolk are reached and that the DSM scale is generally measured according to the scale (in English DSM yolk color fan (DYCF)) color.

The two varieties of corn studied are the following: M37W-Ph-3 and NSL30876 x BKT.

The major carotenoids in the wild lmea NSL30876 are lutema and zeaxanthin and from the wild lmea M37W lutema and zeaxanthin

The developed transgenic lines have the following carotenoids:

- BKT: violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, zeaxanthin, p-carotene, astaxanthin, cantaxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, Z-phytoeno, Adonixanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH- equinenone, p-zeacarotene, phytoen

- M37W-Ph-3: lutema, zeaxanthin, p-carotenes, lycopene and alpha and beta cryptoxanthin

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- NSL30876 x BKT: astaxanthin violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, zeaxanthin,

P-carotene, p-cryptoxanthin, 3-OH-equinenone and other ketocarotenoids such as cantaxanthin, adonixanthin, adonirubin

The test was conducted with commercial laying hens at the facilities of the University of Lleida (Spain). In experimental diets 62% corn was used. The different types of corn used were the following: white control isogenic corn, M37W-Ph-3 corn, NSL30876 x BKT corn and commercial standard corn. Samples of feed, egg yolks and liver were collected and lyophilized for subsequent carotene analysis.

Carotene content was determined in feed samples (Figure 1) and egg yolk (Figure 2) and in lyophilized liver (Figure 3).

The use in the diet of corn laying hens rich in antioxidant pigments, (M37W-Ph-3) produce eggs with a higher nutritional quality derived from the contribution of carotenoids (57.5 ^ g / g of dried yolk matter).

The use of antioxidant-rich corn hens in the diet, NSL30876 x BKT produces eggs with a higher nutritional quality derived from the contribution of carotenoids (24.49 ^ g / g of dried yolk matter).

In contrast, the wild variety of white corn M37W produces bleached yolk eggs, (DSM value <1) and total concentration of carotenoids in the yolk 1.81 ^ g / g of dried yolk matter).

The use of antioxidant-rich corn laying hens in the diet, M37W-Ph-3 produces egg yolks high in zeaxanthin (29.89 ^ g / g of dried yolk).

The use of antioxidant-rich corn hens in the diet, NSL30876 * BKT produces egg yolks high in carotenes, zeaxanthin (10.77 ± 1.33

^ g / g of yolk dry matter) and ketocarotenes, astaxanthin (6.56 ± 0.56 ^ g / g of yolk dry matter)

Table 1 shows the quality data of the egg at the beginning (at the entrance of the experiment, since the hens provide a farm with standard layers of laying hens), Depletion (13 days after testing after ingestion of the feed with white corn, white control corn, M37W and Treatment (after the end of the test and 20 days of consumption of the feed made with the different types of corn.

10 In the experiment no differences were observed in the different measures of egg quality except in the color according to DSM SCALE, in which it is observed that the previous commercial values are achieved and even exceeded in the color of the yolk in both cases with only corn (M37W-Ph-3 and NSL30876xBKT).

 M37W M37W-Ph3 NSL30876xBKT Malz commercial

 Egg Weight (g)

 Start 63.81 ± 1,124 61.76 ± 1,531 64.75 ± 1,478 65.17 ± 1,350

 Depletion

 60.90 ± 1.682 61.35 ± 1.578 64.05 ± 1.281 64.91 ± 1.523

 Treatment 68.06 ± 1,352 63.71 ± 1,168 66.85 ± 1,274 68.92 ± 1,479

 Breaking Strength (Kg)

 Start 3.35 ± 0.245 3.23 ± 0.405 3.53 ± 0.314 3.68 ± 0.190

 Depletion

 3.01 ± 0.157 3.86 ± 0.215 3.81 ± 0.227 3.56 ± 0.280

 Treatment 3.71 ± 0.258 3.87 ± 0.195 3.81 ± 0.146 3.25 ± 0.185

 Height

 Start 5.88 ± 0.340 6.59 ± 0.636 6.16 ± 0.632 6.98 ± 0.296

 albumen (Hmm)

 Depletion 5.12 ± 0.322 5.72 ± 0.275 5.58 ± 0.367 5.62 ± 0.256

 Treatment

 6.08 ± 0.417 5.70 ± 0.229 5.01 ± 0.511 5.56 ± 0.214

 Start 9.83 ± 0.207 9.86 ± 0.143 10.13 ± 0.227 10.11 ± 0.000

 DSM color

 Depletion 1.08 ± 0.077 1.33 ± 0.256 1.64 ± 0.308 1.00 ± 0.261

 Treatment 1.25 ± 0.250 10.08 ± 0.313 11.38 ± 0.241 4.22 ± 0.222

Start 73.97 ± 2,608 74.61 ± 4,728 74.80 ± 4,943 81.10 ± 2,472

Depletion 69.02 ± 3,073 75.28 ± 1,578 70.76 ± 2,983 71.97 ± 1,794

Treatment 73.08 ± 3,328 69.73 ± 3,335 66.22 ± 3,601 69.69 ± 1,787

Start 320.33 ± 10,227 315.29 ± 22,561 343.25 ± 11,965 319.67 ± 13,317

Thickness

Shell Depletion 347.36 ± 7,443 339.12 ± 11,078 356.68 ± 11,242 332.60 ± 7,294

(mm) ___________________________________________________________________

Treatment 359.58 ± 19,434 357.46 ± 10,377 364.08 ± 10,117 359.25 ± 10,547

Table 1.

Units

Haugh

During the test, the color of the yolk was determined by obtaining the coordinates L *, a *, b * in the CIELAB space using a Konica Minolta CM-700d colorimeter (Konica 5 Minolta Sensing Inc., Osaka, Japan) with an area of 8 mm measurement, illuminant D65 and observation angle of 10 °. As a yolk container, a cylindrical optical glass capsule with a diameter of 34 mm (Hellma, Mullheim, Germany) was used.

Table 2 shows the values of L *, a * and b * means for each treatment at the end 10 of the experiment (days 32 and 33 of the experiment). It can be seen that L * remains constant in all treatments, instead the values of a * and b * fluctuate according to the treatment and the content of carotenes present in the cornices of the diets.

 L * a * b *

 M37W

 57.96 ± 0.598 -1.16 ± 0.073 9.72 ± 0.951

 M37W-Ph3

 51.69 ± 0.554 10.82 ± 0.435 22.67 ± 1.407

 NSL30876 x

 BKT

 49.37 ± 0.938 13.63 ± 0.620 17.45 ± 0.895

 Commercial malz

 56.78 ± 0.696 3.58 ± 0.176 25.43 ± 2.382

Table 2.

15 The use of corn varieties M37W-Ph-3 and NSL30876 x BKT at concentrations of 62% in the diet makes the use of exogenous pigments unnecessary to achieve

Eggs with yolks within the color range accepted by the consumer. This effect is not achieved by the conventional standard corn used in the same proportion in the diet.

5 The use of developed varieties of corn makes it possible to reduce the cost of manufactured feed by eliminating the cost of adding carotenes exogenously and simplifying the feed manufacturing process.

The term "Sequence listing" in the sequence list refers to "Sequence list", "Artificial Sequence" to "Artificial sequence" and the term "DNA" refers to "DNA".

Claims (1)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 1- Nutritious or nutraceutical composition comprising a part of a corn plant enriched with antioxidants or a derivative thereof. 2- Composition according to claim 1 comprising at least 50 to 80% of a part of a corn plant enriched with antioxidants or a derivative thereof 3. Composition according to claim 2 comprising at least 60 to 70% of a part of a corn plant enriched with antioxidants or a derivative thereof. 4- Composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the part of the corn plant is the endosperm, the seed or derivatives thereof. 5. Composition according to any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the antioxidants part of a corn plant are carotenoids. 6- Composition according to claim 5 wherein the carotenoids are selected from the group consisting of p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema, zeaxanthin and combinations thereof. 7- Composition according to claim 6 wherein the antioxidant-enriched corn plant is a transgenic corn plant that expresses at least one transgene encoding a phytoeno synthase and a transgene encoding a carotene desaturase. 8- Composition according to claim 7 wherein the corn plant additionally expresses a transgene selected from the group consisting of a transgene encoding a lycopene p-cyclase, a transgene encoding a p-carotene hydroxylase and a transgene encoding a carotenoid ketolase. 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 9. Composition according to any of claims 6 to 8 wherein the sequences of the transgenes have the codons adapted for expression in plants. 10. Composition according to any of claims 6 to 9 wherein the transgene encoding the phytoen synthase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, the transgene encoding the carotene desaturase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, the transgene encoding lycopene p-cyclase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 3, the transgene encoding p-carotene hydroxylase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 15 and the transgene encoding the carotenoid ketolase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 7. 11- Composition according to claim 10, wherein if the transgene encoding the carotene desaturase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, then the carotene desaturase is part of a fusion protein comprising position N with respect to the carotene desaturase a sequence for the addressing of proteins to the chloroplast. 12- Composition according to claim 11 wherein the sequence for the targeting of proteins to the chloroplast is the sequence of the small subunit of the Ribulose 1.5 bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase. 13- Composition according to claim 12 wherein the sequence encoding the small subunit of Ribulose 1.5 bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 8. 14. Composition according to any one of claims 6 to 13 wherein at least one of the transgenes additionally has at the 3 'end a transcription terminator sequence. 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 15. Composition according to claim 14 wherein the transcription terminator sequence is the terminator sequence of the gene encoding nopaline synthase or the terminator sequence of the gene encoding ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. 16- Composition according to claim 15 wherein the nopaline synthase terminator sequence has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 9 and the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase terminator sequence has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 10. 17. Composition according to any of claims 7 to 16 wherein at least one of the transgenes is under the control of a specific endosperm promoter. 18- Composition according to claim 17 wherein the specific endosperm promoter is the D-hordema promoter or the LMW glutenin promoter. 19. Composition according to claim 18 wherein the D-hordema promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12 and the LMW glutenin promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 11. 20. Composition according to claim 5 wherein the carotenoids are selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonyxanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoeno, phytoeno and combinations thereof. 21- Composition according to claim 20 wherein the antioxidant-enriched corn plant expresses a transgene encoding a phytoen synthase, a transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase and a transgene encoding a beta carotene hydroxylase 22- Composition according to claim 21 wherein the antioxidant-enriched corn plant additionally expresses a specific RNAi of the corn lycopene epsilon cyclase. 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 23- Composition according to claim 5 wherein the carotenoids are selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonyxanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH equinenone and combinations thereof. 24- Composition according to claim 23 wherein the antioxidant-enriched corn plant comes from the cross between a corn line with a high level of oil and a corn that expresses a transgene encoding a phytoeno synthase, a transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase and a transgene encoding a beta carotene hydroxylase. Composition according to claim 24 wherein the corn plant expressing a transgene encoding a phytoen synthase, a transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase and a transgene encoding a beta carotene hydroxylase further expresses a specific RNAi of lycopene epsilon cyclase of corn. 26- Composition according to any of claims 24 or 25 wherein the corn line with a high oil level is the NSL30876 line. 27- Composition according to any of claims 21, 22, 24-26 wherein the sequences of the trangenes have the codons adapted for expression in plants. Composition according to any one of claims 21, 22-27 wherein the transgene encoding a phytoen synthase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, the transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 14, the transgene encoding a beta carotene hydroxylase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 15 and the specific RNAi of the corn lycopene epsilon cyclase with sequence SEQ ID NO: 16. 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 29- Composition according to revindication 28, where if the transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 14 and / or the transgene encoding a beta carotene hydroxylase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 15 , then the protein encoded by said genes is forming part of a fusion protein comprising a sequence for the targeting of proteins to the chloroplast. 30- Composition according to claim 29 wherein the sequence for the targeting of proteins to the chloroplast is the sequence encoding the small subunit of the Ribulose 1.5 bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase. Composition according to claim 30 wherein the sequence encoding the small subunit of Ribulose 1.5 bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 8. 32. Composition according to any of claims 21,22,24-31 wherein at least one transgene or RNAi are under the control of a specific endosperm promoter. Composition according to claim 32 wherein the endosperm specific promoter is selected from the D-hordema promoter, the LMW glutenin promoter and the gamma-zein promoter. 34- Composition according to claim 33 wherein the D-hordema promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12, the LMW glutenin promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 11 and the gamma-zein promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 13. Composition according to any one of claims 21, 22, 24-34 wherein the transgene further comprises at the 3 'end the 5'UTR region of the rice alcohol dehydrogenase gene. 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 36- Composition according to claim 35 wherein the 5'UTR region of the rice alcohol dehydrogenase gene has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 17. 37- Use of a nutritive or nutraceutical composition according to any of claims 1-36 for obtaining eggs enriched in antioxidants. 38- Use according to claim 37 wherein the eggs are eggs of a poultry. 39- Use according to claim 38 wherein the poultry is chicken. 40- Use of a part of a corn plant enriched in antioxidants or a derivative thereof to obtain eggs enriched in antioxidants. 41- Use according to claim 40 wherein the part of the corn plant is the endosperm, the seed or derivatives thereof. 42. Use according to any of claims 40-41 wherein the antioxidants in a part of a corn plant are carotenoids. 43- Use according to claim 42 wherein the carotenoids are selected from the group consisting of p-carotene, Y-carotene, a-carotene, a-cryptoxanthin, p-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutema, zeaxanthin and combinations thereof. 44. Use according to any of claims 40-43 wherein the antioxidant-enriched corn plant is a transgenic corn plant that expresses at least one transgene encoding a phytoeno synthase and a transgene encoding a carotene desaturase. 45. Use according to claim 44 wherein the corn plant additionally expresses a transgene selected from the group consisting of a transgene encoding a lycopene p-cyclase, a transgene encoding a p-carotene hydroxylase and a transgene encoding a carotenoid ketolase. 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 46. Use according to any of claims 44 to 45 wherein the sequences of the transgenes have the codons adapted for expression in plants. 47. Use according to any of claims 44-46 wherein the transgene encoding the phytoen synthase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1, the transgene encoding the carotene desaturase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, the transgene encoding lycopene p-cyclase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 3, the transgene encoding p-carotene hydroxylase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO: 6 and / or the transgene encoding the carotenoid ketolase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 7. 48- Use according to claim 47 wherein if the transgene encoding a carotene desaturase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 then the protein encoded by said gene is part of a fusion protein comprising at the 5 'end a sequence for the address of proteos to the chloroplast. 49. Use according to claim 48, wherein the sequence for the address of proteins to chloroplast is the sequence that encodes the small subunit of Ribulose 1.5 bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase. 50- Use according to claim 49 wherein the sequence encoding the small subunit of Ribulose 1.5 bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 8. 51. Use according to any of claims 44-50 wherein the transgene additionally presents at the 3'-end a transcription terminating sequence. 52- Use according to claim 51 wherein the transcription terminator sequence is the nopaline synthase terminator sequence or the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase terminator sequence. 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 53- Use according to claim 52 wherein the nopaline synthase terminator sequence has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 9 and the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase terminator sequence has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 10. 54- Use according to any one of claim 44-53 wherein at least one transgene is under the control of a specific endosperm promoter. 55- Use according to claim 54 wherein the specific endosperm promoter is the D-hordema promoter or the LMW glutenin promoter. 56- Use according to claim 55 wherein the D-hordema promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12 and the LMW glutenin promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 11. 57- Use according to claim 42 wherein the carotenoids are selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonyxanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH equinenone, zeaxanthin, Z-phytoen, phytoeno and combinations thereof. 58- Use according to claim 57 wherein the antioxidant-enriched corn plant expresses a transgene encoding a phytoen synthase, a transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase and a transgene encoding a beta carotene hydroxylase 59- Use according to claim 58, wherein corn plant enriched in antioxidants additionally expresses a specific RNAi of lycopene epsilon cyclase corn. 60- Use according to claim 42 wherein the carotenoids are selected from the group consisting of astaxanthin, violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutema, beta-carotene, cantaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, adonyxanthin, adonirubin, 3-OH equinenone and combinations thereof. 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 61- Use according to claim 60 wherein the antioxidant enriched corn plant comes from the cross between a corn line with a high level of oil and a corn that expresses a transgene encoding a phytoen synthase, a transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase , a transgene encoding a beta carotene hydroxylase. 62- Use according to claim 61, wherein the antioxidant-enriched corn plant additionally expresses a specific RNAi of the corn lycopene epsilon cyclase. 63- Use according to any of claims 61 or 62 wherein the corn line with high oil level is line NSL30876. 64. Use according to any of claims 58, 59, 61-63 wherein the sequences of the trangenes have the codons adapted for expression in plants. 65- Use according to any one of claims 58,59,61-64 wherein the transgene encoding a phytoen synthase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 13, the transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 14, the transgene encoding a beta carotene hydroxylase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 15 and / or the specific RNAi of corn lycopene epsilon cyclase with sequence SEQ ID NO: 16. 66. Use according to any one of claims 58, 59,61-66 wherein at least one transgene or RNAi are under the control of a specific endosperm promoter. 67- Use according to claim 66 wherein the specific endosperm promoter is selected from the D-hordema promoter, the LMW glutenin promoter and the gamma-zein promoter. 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 68- Use according to claim 67 wherein the D-hordema promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 12, the LMW glutenin promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 11 and the gamma-zein promoter has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 13. 69- Use according to any of claims 58, 59, 61-68 wherein if the transgene encoding a beta carotene ketolase has the sequence SEQ ID NO: 14 and / or the transgene encoding the beta carotene hydroxylase has the sequence SEQ ID NO: 15, then the transgene presents at the 5 'end a sequence for the protection of chloroplast proteins. 70- Use according to claim 69 wherein the sequence for the targeting of proteins to the chloroplast is the sequence encoding the small subunit of the Ribulose 1.5 bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase. 71- Use according to claim 70 wherein the sequence encoding the small subunit of Ribulose 1.5 bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 8. 72. Use according to any one of claims 58, 59, 61-71 wherein the transgene further comprises at the 3 'end the 5'UTR region of the rice alcohol dehydrogenase gene. 73- Use according to claim 72 wherein the 5'UTR region of the rice alcohol dehydrogenase gene has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 17. 74. Use according to any of claims 40-73 wherein the eggs are eggs of a poultry. 75- Use according to claim 74 wherein the poultry is chicken. 76- Egg and egg products derived from said egg obtained according to any of claims 37-75.