In-vitro bio-accessibility and antioxidant activity of commercial standard and enriched whole egg compounds influenced by production and domestic cooking practices

Abstract

Commercial whole eggs can be enriched to deliver health-beneficial compounds such as lutein and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The combined effect of domestic cooking and gastrointestinal (GI) digestion on enriched egg bio-accessibility and biological activity must be fully elucidated. Thus, this study determines how the combined factors modulate whole egg bio-accessibility and antioxidant activity. Eggs from local supermarkets were cooked and subjected to in vitro GI digestion. The eggs and hydrolysates were characterized for their degree of hydrolysis (DH), carotenoid, PUFA, peptide content, and antioxidant activity. The cooking and digestion influence the DH and carotenoids, whereas PUFA and peptide contents remain unaffected. There was no difference in the antioxidant capacity between the different types of eggs. This study introduces a holistic approach to understanding how production and domestic cooking conditions modulate the bio-accessibility and bioactivity of eggs, which could be used to maximize the health benefits of eggs to consumers.