feeding for designer eggs

ANN 702 Assignment – Dr. Vivek M. Patil

FEEDING FOR DESIGNER EGGS

Meeting consumer demands is a constant challenge for the animal food industry. Many consumers desire somewhat distinct products with respect to safety, healthfulness, freshness, taste, color, etc. To tap into this market, companies have developed several designer and speciality eggs which have appeared on store shelves. If a food, such as the egg, is nutritionally modified it is referred to as a designer or functional food (American Dietetic Association, 1995).

Functional foods as an important step in the improvement of the diet

While all these nutrients can be obtained in tablet or capsular forms from pharmacists or health food shops, it is generally held that their supply in normal dietary components is a valuable option (Diplock et al, 1998). In this respect antioxidant-fortified food (van het Hof et al, 1998; Reilly et al, 1998) can be considered as an important step in improvement of the diet.

Considering a choice of functional or designer foods which can be used to improve the human diet it is necessary to take into account dietary preferences, habits and many other factors. For example to include selenium (Se) in the designer food one has to consider possible toxicity

(a 10-fold increase of Se intake can have a toxic effect). Therefore choice should be given to the food that is consumed in limited and stable amounts.

Nutrient stability is another consideration. For example n-3 enriched foods are often characterised by a fishy taste due to presence of peroxidation products. High temperature processing can destroy a range of nutrients including antioxidants.

Eggs as an integral part of the diet

Chicken's eggs have been used as a food by human beings since antiquity. Compared with the hen's egg, no other single food of animal origin is eaten by so many people all over the world and none is served in such a variety of ways. Its popularity is justified not only because it is so easy produced and has so many uses in cookery, but also because of its nutritive excellence. The major problem with egg consumption in recent years is cholesterol. It was initially believed that egg consumption was associated with a rise in blood cholesterol levels and as a consequence was deleterious to health and life expectancy.

Designer eggs: "Designer eggs" are those in which the content has been modified from the standard egg. The contents of the chicken egg can be changed in such ways as to be more healthful and appealing to a segment of our consumers who are willing to pay for those changes. eg. eggs with enhanced vitamin content, lowered cholesterol, altered fat/fatty acid/mineral/vitamin content, eggs containing pharmaceuticals etc.

Speciality eggs: Eggs which have a special attribute which makes them attractive to a niche market are known as "speciality" eggs. A number of these eggs are available in stores. eg. cage-free (free-roaming), free-range, pasture-raised, organic, fertile eggs etc.

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Designer EggsFor years, until very recently, it was believed that the hen’s metabolism ensured that the composition of eggs remained constant, regardless of the hen’s diet. But recent studies on omega-3 fatty acids have raised fundamental questions about this dogma. It is thus possible to greatly increase the amounts of certain nutrients in eggs, or even further increasing these concentrations to produce “designer” eggs. In this latter case the hen is used as a biological concentrator.

Research has shown that not only cholesterol, but the egg content of several other nutrients can be manipulated to produce today’s so-called ‘designer’ eggs. These eggs are marketed as specialty eggs of added value because of their unique features and usually command a higher price than conventional eggs in the marketplace. Multi-enriched eggs are a low cost source of over 30% of the 10 most important essential dietary elements for humans: protein, vitamins E, D, B2, B9, B12, iodine, selenium, lutein and omega-3 fatty acids.

The driving forces behind the designer egg market are preference and perception. A small group of consumers who have a preference for a particular attribute in their eggs and might not otherwise consume conventional eggs account for the designer egg market. Ingredient and other production costs may result in an overall cost that is two to three times that of conventional eggs. Therefore, these consumers must have not just the preference but the means to purchase these products. The designer egg market accounts for roughly 5-10% of the dollar value of the U.S. egg market, depending on the value of conventional eggs in the market.

History of Designer Eggs

One of the first researchers to document the ability to change the nutrient profile of the egg was Cruickshank (1934). The polyunsaturated fatty acid profile of the egg was changed through dietary manipulation.

The nutritional importance of Cruickshank’s discovery was not fully appreciated until the early 1970s. At that time health conscious Americans turned away from eating eggs because they believed if they consumed eggs then the cholesterol and saturated fatty acids contained in the egg would immediately put them at death’s door. Because of this belief, modification of egg quality to reduce the amount of cholesterol and to decrease the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acid content became the goal of numerous research efforts.

Dyerberg and Bang (1979) reported that n-3 fatty acids would protect the heart from Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD).

Nabor (1979) reviewed the transfer of nutrients into the egg. Pigments are not considered nutrients and this is probably why he did not include them in his review. Nabor’s classification of nutrients found in the egg and their responsiveness to dietary influence has remained unchanged (Table 1).

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In the late 80s, Sim, Jiang and their associates in the University of Alberta, Canada, blended these ideas together and developed a designer egg, rich in n-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. They patented this egg as Professor Sim's Designer Egg. They incorporated the n-3 PUFA in the egg yolk at the expense of saturated fatty acids, by feeding hens with diets having flax seeds. Since n-3 PUFA is highly unsaturated and unstable, the yolk fat will undergo rancidity quickly; leading to off odours. To overcome this problem, they incorporated natural antioxidants like vitamin E, selenium and carotenoid pigments.

Later in Australia, Farell (1998) enriched the eggs with folic acid and iron; which are good for anemic patients.

In Canada, Leeson (2004) produced lutein-enriched eggs; which act as a retinal tonic, by preventing Macular Degeneration and Retinitis Pigmentosa.

In India, Narahari (2004) developed Herbal Enriched Designer Eggs (HEDE), which were not only rich in n-3 PUFA, vitamin E, selenium, carotenoids, certain B complex vitamins and trace minerals; but also rich in herbal active principles like Allicin, Betaine, Euginol, Lumiflavin, Lutein, Sulforaphane, Taurine and many more active principles, depending on the herbs fed to the hens

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Production of Designer EggsThe egg exists to support life - the embryo. It is reasonable to believe that nutrients in the egg must be present at specific levels to support the embryo for normal development. It is obvious, in practice, that feeding higher levels of most nutrients does not result in a linear increase of nutrient levels in the egg. The hen buffers the transport of nutrients to the egg very efficiently. If toxic levels of nutrients are fed, the hen will reduce feed intake and stop producing eggs. Within limits, the nutrient content of the egg can be altered.

Modifying egg quality can be accomplished by:- inducing metabolic changes in the hen that can result in synthesis of compounds that

essentially end up in her egg.- change the characteristics of membrane transport to facilitate movement of compounds

into the egg.- one of the more common acceptable ways to modify egg quality is to manipulate the diet of

the hen such that the desired compounds eventually find their way into the egg.

Poultry researchers have been dedicating a considerable amount of their efforts in recent decades to studies with hens in an attempt to lower egg yolk cholesterol to satisfy concerns of health-conscious consumers (Van Elswyk, 1997).

Shell colorIn the U.S., shells are either brown or white. Regional consumer preferences determine the shell color for the market. The U.S. market is primarily a white-shelled market. Kuhl estimated that half of the designer eggs on the market are brown shelled. A brown-shelled egg is a designer egg because it differentiates that egg from the conventional market. In some countries, there is even a market for blue-shelled eggs.

Yolk colorThe color of the yolk is a reflection of its pigment content. In addition, the type of pigment in the egg and its concentration are directly influenced by the dietary concentration of any particular pigment.

Consumer preferences vary greatly on yolk color, even in the same country. Color is described on the basis of the Roche Color Fan (RCF). Yolk colors from 6 to 15 can be achieved by using only natural pigmenters obtained from natural raw materials. Natural sources can be from plants such as marigold, chili, or corn. A corn-based diet will produce eggs with a color fan score of about six or seven whereas wheat-based diets without supplemental pigment sources will be lighter than a Roche score of one. The high protein blue-green algae known as Spirulina platensis has also been shown to be a very efficient pigment source for poultry skin and egg yolk.

Recent research has shown that eggs may be beneficial in preventing macular degeneration, a major cause of blindness in the elderly. A recent study indicated that higher intake of carotenoids reduced the risk of age-related macular degeneration. The most effective carotenoids were lutein and zeaxanthin, which are commonly found in dark-green leafy vegetables and egg yolk. Lutein and zeaxanthin are high in pigmented feed ingredients such as yellow corn, alfalfa meal, corn gluten meal, dried algae meal, and marigold-petal meal.

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Fortunately, both lutein and zeaxanthin are efficiently transferred to the yolk when these various feed ingredients are fed to laying hens. The egg processing industry has routinely produced highly pigmented yolks for use in bakery products, pasta and mayonnaise. Perhaps there would be a market for eggs having a higher level of lutein and zeaxanthin. Unfortunately, American consumers prefer a lighter colored yolk and eggs from hens fed these xanthophylls will have more highly pigmented yolks. Perhaps the consumer can be educated to accept a darker yolk color.

Low-cholesterol eggsSome consumers perceive that eating lower-cholesterol eggs will result in a lowering of their own blood cholesterol level, thus creating a strong preference for so-called low-cholesterol eggs. The hen regulates the level of cholesterol in the yolk to a very narrow range.

Twenty years ago, U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrition tables showed a value of 274 mg of cholesterol per large egg. Today, the USDA tables show of a value of 213 mg of cholesterol per large egg. This represents a change in analytical method and not a nutritional or genetic change. In order for eggs to be labeled as "low cholesterol," they must contain 25% less than the USDA table value, or 160 mg of cholesterol per large egg.

Genetic selection of hens for lowered cholesterol has not been successful in lowering the egg cholesterol content. The general conclusion drawn from research work to date is that it is impossible to significantly decrease cholesterol levels in eggs without decreasing egg weight or egg production. Research into lowering egg cholesterol has centered mostly around diet and pharmacological intervention (drugs).

The primary method of reducing the cholesterol content of the egg is to reduce the egg size, which reduces the yolk size. Reducing the size of the egg lowers the absolute amount of cholesterol (milligrams of cholesterol per egg) but doesn't change the relative concentration of cholesterol in the yolk (milligrams of cholesterol per gram of yolk). The size of the egg can be reduced by about 10% by using low-fat feed ingredients. The Araucana strain of laying hens genetically lays a small egg and is frequently cited by the popular press as producing a low-cholesterol egg.

Drugs have been successful in lowering egg cholesterol by as much as 50%. Drugs lower cholesterol in the egg by either inhibiting the synthesis of cholesterol in the hen or by inhibiting the transfer of cholesterol from the blood to the developing yolk on the ovary. Today, the drugs which have shown promise in lowering cholesterol are not yet approved by the FDA for commercial use.

Chromium supplementation to laying hen diets at concentrations of less than 1 ppm have been known to lower egg cholesterol and also improve egg interior quality.

Research has also shown that the most effective way to lower egg cholesterol content is to lower the energy consumption of the hen. Tampa Farm Services (Florida) markets an egg with reduced cholesterol content (185 mg). The eggs are produced by feeding a special all-vegetarian diet that is higher in protein and fiber, and enriched in vitamin E.

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Table 1 - Egg yolk cholesterol manipulation by dietary additives (Noble, 1987)

Dietary addition Effect Dietary addition EffectCholesterol + Lecithin +Fat + Emulsifiers +Saturated fatty acids + Plant sterols -PUFA + D-Thyroxin +Cellulose + Triparanol -Pectin - Azasterols -Oat hulls - Probucol -

+ positive effect, - negative effect

Fatty acid profileCommercial table eggs contain a high proportion on n-6 PUFA (mainly 18:2n-6) but are poor source of n-3 fatty acids. Therefore designer eggs production is mainly concentrated on the enrichment of egg lipids with n-3 fatty acids. Consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids has been reported to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and stroke. Consumption of these fatty acids has also been shown to promote infant growth. Kuhl noted that a large share of designer eggs are marketed as having increased levels of omega-3 or polyunsaturated fatty acids or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

The fatty acid profile of eggs is easily and rapidly altered through the inclusion of commonly available ingredients in the feed. The omega-3 fatty acid present in flaxseed oil is the 18-carbon linolenic acid. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and DHA are 20- and 22-carbon omega-3 fatty acids that are present in fish oil. Eighteen-carbon omega-3 fatty acids are converted to 20- and 22-carbon omega-3 fatty acids in the body, but the efficiency of conversion is low.

Attempts to produce n-3 designer eggs could be divided into two parts: The simplest way is to produce an egg enriched in linolenic acid which is a precursor of DHA. For

this purpose the hen's diet is usually enriched with flax seeds, linseeds or their corresponding oils. As a result of such changes in the hen's diet egg yolk is enriched with linolenic acid and the level of DHA is also enhanced. Grass has a relatively high proportion of alpha-linolenic acid (53.4%) in total fatty acids and eggs from hens fed under free-range conditions had a higher concentration of total n-3 fatty acids than eggs from hens fed the commercial diet (Lopez-Bote et al., 1998).

Nevertheless the health benefit of designer eggs could be restricted since the conversion of linolenic acid into DHA in human body is not always effective especially in elderly and children, and most health promoting properties of n-3 fatty acids are associated with DHA. Therefore the inclusion in the hen's diet of preformed DHA, usually in the form of fish (menhaden, herring or tuna) oil, is a more promising route. DHA levels can be increased by a factor of eight as the result of feeding 2% fish oil or including extracts from some strains of algae. However, this may be associated with a pronounced fishy taste in the egg yolk

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The level of DHA in the egg achieved by inclusion of different oils in the diet varies considerably. Omega-3 levels can be increased by a factor of five by including flaxseed at a level of 15% in the

diet. The inclusion of flax seed rich in linolenic acid increased the level of DHA in the egg up to 74-83

mg (Jiang et al., 1991; Jiang and Sim, 1993; Maurice, 1994). “Greek eggs” obtained from free range laying hens contained comparatively high levels (112

mg) of DHA (Simopoulos and Salem, 1992).. 100mg of DHA was accumulated in the egg yolk as a result of using herring meal (12%) in the

diet (Nash et al., 1995) 106 mg DHA was accumulated in the egg yolk as a result of low inclusion (1.5%) of menhaden oil

(Marshall et al., 1994b). The diet of laying hens enriched with 3% menhaden oil increased linolenic and docosahexaenoic

fatty acid in egg yolk by 78.3 and 356% respectively, decreasing arachidonic acid content of the yolk lipids (Van Elswyk et al., 1992).

Supplementing the diet with menhaden oil (3%) provided eggs with 160-178 mg DHA (Hargis et al., 1991; Van Elswyk et al., 1992).

A similar amount of DHA (180 mg) was transferred to the egg yolk as a result of dietary supplementation with 0.5% high DHA tuna orbital oil (Leskanich and Noble, 1997).

The fatty acid profiles of yolk lipids depending on the oil used are shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Fatty acid composition of eggs depending on dietary oil supplementation (Farrell et al, 1991)

DietOil

(g/kg)Fatty acid (%) Total

n-3Ratio

n-6/n-316:0 18:1 18:2 18:3 20:5 22:6Commercial 25.1 46.7 12.7 0.2 0.2 0.6 1.2 13.0Cod liver 60 26.9 42.5 11.3 0.6 0.9 4.3 6.3 1.9Mackerel 60 27.8 38.5 9.9 0.3 1.1 5.8 7.9 1.4Mackerel 40 27.2 40.1 12.5 0.4 0.7 4.4 6.0 2.3Mackerel 20 27.9 40.5 11.8 0.4 0.4 3.4 4.6 2.8Linseed/ 20Mackerel 20 24.5 43.2 12.5 3.3 0.5 3.3 7.5 1.8Canola/ 20Mackerel 20 25.6 42.3 13.1 0.8 0.4 3.1 4.6 3.1Canola/ 20Linseed 20 21.4 46.7 14.1 3.3 0.3 2.0 5.9 2.6

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Enrichment of the chicken diet with n-9, n-3 or n-6 fatty acids was associated with different proportions of different PUFAs in the egg yolk (Table 3).

Table 3. Polyunsaturated fatty acids in the egg yolk depending on the diet composition(Jiang and Sim, 1994).

Fatty acid n-9 rich diet (%) n-3 rich diet (%) n-6 rich diet (%) Control (%)18:2n-6 11.1 12.1 28.5 11.618:3n-3 0.2 5.8 0.3 0.920:4n-6 2.2 1.3 2.7 2.020:5n-3 0 0.3 0 0.0222:5n-3 0 0.3 0.1 0.0522:6n-3 0.8 2.7 0.5 1.5Total n-3 PUFA 1.1 9.1 0.9 2.6Total n-6 PUFA 13.4 13.4 31.2 13.6n-6/n-3 12.7 1.5 34.3 5.3

There are also designer eggs on the market that contain a lowered saturated to unsaturated fatty acid ratio. Feeding high levels of most vegetable oils will increase the polyunsaturated fat levels in the egg. Canola oil is commonly used to alter the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids. Tampa Farm Services produces an egg said to contain 25% less saturated fat than regular eggs.

Organoleptic quality of modified eggs: Cooking did not alter the fatty acid composition of eggs nor were the functional properties of test eggs affected. Panellists differentiated n-3 enriched eggs from controls when scrambled but not when hard cooked (Van Elswyk et al., 1992). The data from taste-panel studies involving fresh and stored eggs were inconclusive, although in general there was a slight perception of off-flavour in eggs from hens fed on linseed (Caston et al., 1994). A fishy or fish-product related flavour was also detected in eggs from hens on diet containing 15-20% flax seed (Ferrier et al., 1994; Jian and Sim, 1994 ) (Table 8). The data of Leeson et al (1998) also suggest that high (> 10%) levels of flaxseed used in the birds' diet will result in some decrease in overall egg acceptability as assessed by aroma and flavour. The use of combinations of antioxidants in the hen's diet could help to suppress these off-flavours. It seems likely that the combination of two antioxidants, namely vitamin E and lutein accumulated in egg yolk, may improve the storability of the designer eggs compared to normal table eggs, even in the presence of enhanced levels of DHA.

Omega-3 fatty acid-enriched eggs taste and cook like any other chicken eggs available in the grocery store. However, they typically have a darker yellow yolk. Evaluation of the eggs during storage indicates that the shelf life of the enriched eggs was comparable to that of typical eggs. Many omega-3 fatty acid-enhanced eggs are available in the U.S. market under various brand names such as Gold Circle Farms, EggPlus, and the Country Hen Better Eggs.

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Effect of omega-3 enriched diet on egg production: A great body of information indicates that chicken diets enriched in various sources of n-3 fatty acids (at reasonable levels of dietary inclusion) in most cases did not alter egg production. For example, dietary menhaden oil did not alter egg production, egg weight, total yolk fat or yolk cholesterol (Hargis et al., 1991; Van Elswyk et al., 1992) or other production parameters (Jiang et al., 1991; Jiang and Sim, 1993).

Vitamin contentIn 1993, Naber published a comprehensive report of vitamin transfer efficiency to the egg. Vitamin A has the highest efficiency rate (60-80%). Vitamin B12, riboflavin, biotin and pantothenic acid are transferred at 40-50% efficiency. Vitamins D3 and E will transfer at 15-25% efficiency. Vitamin K, thiamine and folic acid have the lowest transfer efficiency at 5-10%. Hy-D (25-hydroxy vitamin D3), a metabolite of vitamin D3, transfers at a higher efficiency rate than supplemented vitamin D3.

Trace mineral contentThe shell contains the majority of the minerals in an egg. There are approximately 2,200 mg of calcium and 20 mg of phosphorus in the shell. There has been very little success in changing the calcium and phosphorus content of the albumen and yolk. It is possible, however, to increase the content of selenium, iodine and chromium. This has been done through dietary supplementation of the hen. These three minerals are important in human health. There has been some interest, therefore, in promoting these eggs as designer eggs. Such products, however, have not yet appeared on the U.S. market.

The zinc, copper, iodine, chromium and selenium content of the egg can be increased through the hens' diet. Kuhl suggested that enhanced levels of zinc in eggs would not receive much attention from regulatory agencies. High levels of iodine, chromium and selenium would, on the other hand, receive close scrutiny from FDA. Currently, the selenium level in feed for laying hens is regulated at 272.4 mg per ton of feed. The level of selenium in the egg could be increased and still meet regulatory limits by feeding selenized yeast as the sole source of selenium.

Iodine deficiency still exists in many countries worldwide. Therefore iodine-enriched eggs could be a good source of iodine in human diet. A typical egg of this type contains about 700 g iodine (Garber et al., 1993).

Specific-pathogen free eggsSpecific-pathogen free eggs are used for human and animal vaccine production. The feed for this type of egg production must be sterile. High-temperature pelleting or treatment with formaldehyde is commonly used to produce the sterile feed. Currently, these eggs are injected with the disease agent, which then reproduces in the egg and is harvested. In the future, the hen may be inoculated with the disease agent and the specific antibody extracted from the eggs produced.

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PharmaceuticalsNew biotechnology is being used to develop genetically modified chickens that produce compounds that can be harvested from the eggs. These compounds include insulin for the treatment of diabetes.The hen, like all animals, produces antibodies to neutralize the antigens (viruses, bacteria, etc.) to which she is exposed to each day. These antibodies circulate throughout her body and are transferred to her egg as protection to the developing chick. Immunologists are taking advantage of the fact that the hen can develop antibodies against a large array of antigens and concentrate them in the egg. Specific antigens are now being selected and injected into the hen who develops antibodies against them. As new biotechnology knowledge is gained in this area, designer eggs in the future may be produced that result in a range of antibodies for treatment against snake venoms to the countering of microorganisms which cause tooth decay.

Organic eggsTo be certified organic, the eggs must be produced from hens that have been fed certified-organic feed which was produced without synthetic pesticides or herbicides, antibiotics, or genetically-modified crops. In addition, no synthetic pesticides can be used to control external and internal parasites. USDA established the National Organic Program to provide a uniform method of defining the feed ingredients that can be used in organic feeds. USDA publishes a list of acceptable organic feed ingredients -- the National List of Allowed & Prohibited Substances. Eggs produced under an organic program must be certified by an accredited agency. Certification requires source verification of the feed ingredients. Certification of the organic feed mill and egg production facilities requires on-site inspection. Egg production under the organic title also carries the cage-free status.

Fertile eggsFertile eggs have been available in health food stores and some ethnic markets for centuries. This is cage-free production where roosters are present for mating, but usually at a lower number than for a breeder operation. Probably not all of the eggs are fertile.

The balut egg is a specialized type of fertile egg that is incubated for 15-21 days, depending on the ethnic and regional preference of the consumer. The duck is the first choice for balut egg production.

Production systemsMost designer eggs may be produced in cage systems identical to those used in conventional egg production.

Cage-free: Typically, cage-free eggs come from a floor operation, aviary or large colony cage system. The hens are usually indoors and do not necessarily have access to the outdoors.

Free range: Free-range hens have access to the outdoors. They may be sheltered in a building with limited access to an outdoor fenced area. To prevent death loss from predators, the hens may be confined to a building at night.

Pasture raised: Pasture-raised hens are maintained outdoors and have access to fresh pasture. This production system is very labor intensive as the pens are portable and must periodically be moved to fresh pasture areas. Some overhead cover may be provided.

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The Super EggBy manipulating the feed of laying hens, Dr Peter Sarai from the Scottish Agricultural College enhanced the levels of Se, vitamin E, lutein and DHA by 7.7, 26.8, 15.9 and 6.4 fold, respectively. A single designer egg contained 50% of the RDA of Se, 100% of the RDA of long chain n-3 PUFA's, and 150% of the RDA of vitamin E. It also supplied 1.91 mg lutein (no reference nutrient intake has yet been established) (Table 4). The eggs are the latest in a new generation of so called "nutraceutical foods". Part nutrient, part pharmaceutical, scientists hope that these foods will help improve the health of the nation.

The major advantages of the combination of DHA and antioxidants in the egg yolk are: Vitamin E, lutein and Se protects DHA from oxidation during absorption and metabolism

preventing a “fishy” taste formation. Egg yolk lipids are necessary for the efficient absorption of vitamin E and lutein in human

intestine (6 g lipids in the egg yolk is exactly amount of lipids needed for an efficient absorption of vitamin E and lutein in the human intestine).

Lutein interacts with vitamin E and phospholipids, increasing the yolk's anti-oxidant potential increasing egg storability.

Se, as an integral part of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase, protects intestinal membranes against lipid peroxidation during DHA digestion.

These eggs deliver key elements in the diets of pregnant women, the elderly, young children, etc. The inclusion of the eggs in different processed foods, for example, mayonnaise, cakes, etc. will increase their nutritional value. The eggs will be of great importance to people living in polluted areas, (e.g. Chernobyl, Ukraine) and in areas with very low temperatures (e.g. Polar expeditions) and extreme conditions (e.g. submarine teams).

Table 4. Major nutrients in a super eggNutrient in the egg Amount, mg % RDA Similar amount provided by:

Vitamin E 19.3 150 100 g corn oil150 g margarine300 g peanuts1 kg butter10 kg meat

Lutein 1.91 RDA not known 50 g celery100 g green peas200g asparagus200g green pepper200 g yellow pepper

Selenium 0.032 50 100g wheat bread150g brown bread500g meat1 kg vegetables

DHA 209 100 49 g sardine165 g Atlantic cod170 g haddock180 g carp

Designer eggs in India

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Sep 2000: Bangalore-based Kool Komestibles Private Ltd (KKPL) has launched designer eggs, branded `Diet Eggs', supposed to have beneficial nutritional properties, claim company officials. The eggs are the result of layer birds being fed with special feed formulation developed by Dr Jeong S. Sim, a Professor at the University of Alberta, Canada. The designer egg production follows more than a decade of research, he said. When compared to normal eggs, `Diet Eggs' have 19 times more poly unsaturated fatty acids (600 mg omega-3 fatty acids which is equivalent to 100 g of fish), and twice the quantity of vitamin E. The eggs, produced at three poultry farms located in Karnataka, were at present being marketed in Bangalore, Mysore, Belgaum and Kochi. These markets had absorbed 45,000 eggs per day, and Chennai was expected to consume about 50,000-75,000 eggs. Priced at Rs 4, they were available in packs of six in special containers, he said.

Jan 2003: The Department of Zoology at Punjab University has been successful in producing low-cholesterol "designer eggs" that can be consumed by those who suffer from high cholesterol levels and have been advised against having eggs.

Dec 2007: Suguna Poultry Farm Limited is based in Coimbatore and is quite successful with selling designer eggs. Designer eggs are the outcome of feeding the hens with customised food to get eggs with desired properties. Recently it has introduced two more variants to its basket of designer and diet eggs, taking the total to four egg brands: Suguna Active( with high levels of docosahexaenoic (DHA), Vitamin E and organic selenium) and Suguna Heart (enriched with Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin E) and its two earlier brands Suguna Pro and Suguna Sakthi. Branded eggs cost more because the special feed for the layer birds, cost 35% more than the normal chicken feed.

Conclusion

The data indicate that a designer egg enriched in vitamin E, lutein, DHA and Se can not only be a good nutritional product but also a good vector for the delivery of four essential nutrients vital for human health. A crucial feature of these designer eggs is the synergistic combination of n-3 fatty acids with major antioxidants, vitamin E, lutein and Se, as an important approach to the improvement of the human diet. These eggs will not be able to replace vegetable and fruits as a major source of natural antioxidants and fish products as a source of DHA but can substantially improve the diet, especially in countries like Scotland, significantly contributing to the recommended daily intake of vitamin E, lutein, DHA and Se.

An important point is that two major antioxidant constituents of the egg, vitamin E and lutein, are stable during egg boiling. It has also been shown that there is no alteration in fatty acid profile of eggs enriched with n-3 PUFAs during cooking or during storage. Furthermore, the combination of antioxidant nutrients increased lipid stability in the designer eggs.

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Nutrition Facts (per 100g) of Suguna designer eggs

Nutrients Suguna Active Suguna Heart Suguna Pro Suguna Shakti

Protein (gm) 13.3 13.3 13.3 13.3

Total Fat (gm) 8 8 8 8

Carbohydrates (gm) 0.67 0.67 0.67 0.67

DHA (mg) 900

Phosphorus (mg) 240 240 240 240

Calcium (mg) 74 74 74 74

Vitamin E (mg) 10

Iron (mg) 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8

Organic Selenium (µg)

36

Omega-3 fatty acids (gm)

1.27

Calories (kcal) 135 135

Carotenoid (µg) 345 345

Feature

Designed specifically for children, adults, pregnant women, lactating mothers and for those who have an active lifestyle and require additional nutrition. Suguna Active is a value-added farm fresh egg containing DHA, Organic Selenium and Vitamin E.

Designed for health conscious people who prefer a low cholesterol egg

combined with the benefits of Omega 3

and Vitamin E for longevity and a healthy heart.

Value-added, farm fresh egg that is rich

in proteins and vitamins.

Enriched with Vitamin A which is good for healthy skin, bones

and eyes. Additionally, Lutein and Zeaxanthin are the two important

pigments in Suguna Pro

Clean, farm fresh egg that comes

from the healthiest layer

henshigh on natural

Carotenoids and Pro-vitamin A and low on calories to keep you healthy

and trim.

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References

Bourre, J.M. and Galea, F. (2006) An important source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins D and E, carotenoids, iodine and selenium: A new natural multi-enriched egg. J. Nutrition Health & Ageing 10(5) pp 371-376.

Dudley-Cash, William A. (2009) Designer egg terms explained. Feedstuffs 81(27). Jacqueline Jacob and Richard Miles (2011) Designer and speciality eggs. University of Florida.

IFAS Extension PS51. Johri, T.S. Poultry nutrition research in India and its perspective. FAO. Miles, Richard D. (2007) Designer eggs: Altering Mother Nature’s most perfect food.

Engormix.com Narahari, D. (2005) Nutritional manipulations for value added egg and meat production.

Poulvet.com Yannakopoulos, A., Tserveni-Gousi, A. and Christaki, E. (2005) Enhanced egg production in

practice: The case of Bio-Omega-3 egg. Inter. J. Poultry Sc. 4(8):531-535. Zafar Hayat (2009) Nutritional manipulation of layer diets to produce designer eggs and its

impact on human health. Ph.D. Thesis submitted to the Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.

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feeding for designer eggs

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