Influence of Sex and Dietary Ascorbic Acid on Nitrite-Induced 1 Methemoglobinemia in Japanese Quail

Abstract

Summary

Japanese quail fed diets containing 0.5% nitrite developed a methemoglobinemia together with reduced food consumption and depressed body weights. Nitrite also was deposited in eggs, and continued to be present for about 140 hr after nitrite feeding stopped. Female Japanese quail, either controls or nitrite treated, were observed to have less blood hemoglobin, with approximately a twofold increase in blood methemoglobin than males from the equivalent treatments. Ascorbic acid added at 0.5% to the diet had no effect on methemoglobinemia or egg nitrite deposition.