Egg Concentrations Research Articles

From mother to egg: Variability in maternal transfer of trace elements and steroid hormones in common eider (Somateria mollissima)

The Baltic Sea is among the most polluted seas worldwide with elevated concentrations of trace elements (TEs). TEs can induce negative effects on organisms and may be transferred to eggs causing endocrine-disrupting effects on embryos. The Baltic Sea population of common eider (Somateria mollissima) has declined over the last thirty years, but the potential contribution of TEs to this decline is understudied. The aim of this study was to assess maternal transfer of TEs during the incubation period. Associations between TEs and steroid hormone concentrations in eggs (androstenedione, testosterone, pregnenolone and progesterone) were also investigated. Ten nests from Bengtskär (Finland) were monitored, for which hens at the beginning and end of the egg-laying were blood-sampled and their clutches were collected. Red blood cells from females (n = 10) and homogenized eggs (n = 44) were analyzed for 10 TEs (As, Ca, Cd, Cu, Hg, Mg, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn). Maternal and egg concentrations were correlated for Cu, Hg and Se (R2 = 0.51, R2 = 0.51, R2 = 0.52, respectively and all p-values ≤0.01). Three eggs had the highest Pb concentrations (1.43–2.24 μg g−1 ww) ever reported for this species. Although maternal and egg Pb concentrations were not significantly correlated, those eggs were laid by the same female, also having the highest Pb concentration (3.4 μg g−1 ww). Most blood TE concentrations in females were below known toxicity limits, except for Pb where 20 % of 10 females (including one outlier) had concentrations above the toxicity limit reported for subclinical poisoning in Anatini (> 0.2 μg g−1 ww). Steroid hormones in eggs were interrelated, but not correlated to TEs. Overall, the results call for more urgent research into the origin and consequences of high Pb concentrations and continued monitoring of the common eider populations in the Baltic Sea.

Effect of microencapsulated canthaxanthin and apo-ester on egg yolk color and antioxidant capacity in laying hens

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of common canthaxanthin (CC) or microencapsulated canthaxanthin (MC) combined with apo-ester (AE) on productive performance, egg yolk color and antioxidant capacity in laying hens. A total of 270 Hyline Brown laying hens at 56 wk of age were allocated to 3 groups with 6 replicates, and fed a wheat-soybean meal basal diet or the same diet supplemented with CC+AE or MC+AE at 5 mg/kg feed for each supplement. The productive performance was not affected by dietary treatments. The 2 test groups had higher (P < 0.05) yolk color score in fresh eggs than the control group, but the yolk color score of CC+AE group significantly declined (P < 0.05) with time, and a slight decline was also observed in the MC+AE group at 36 d. The MC+AE group had higher (P < 0.05) yolk color score of fried and boiled eggs than the other 2 groups. Higher (P < 0.05) feed canthaxanthin concentration was found in the MC+AE group at the end of experiment, which also had higher yolk canthaxanthin concentration in fresh eggs at 24 and 36 d as well as in fried, boiled and stored (4°C and 25°C) eggs. The 2 test groups had higher (P < 0.05) total antioxidant capacity in serum than the control group, and lower (P < 0.05) MDA content was observed in the MC+AE group. The mRNA level of cluster determinant 36 in jejunum was increased by the 2 test groups, and the same increase was also found in liver only in the MC+AE group. In conclusion, MC was more efficient in promoting yolk color and antioxidant capacity than CC when combined with AE.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Accumulation, Reproductive Impairment, and Associations with Nestling Body Condition in Great (Parus major)- and Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) Living near a Hotspot in Belgium.

Due to the limited number of field studies investigating associations between environmentally relevant per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) mixtures and reproductive impairment, there is uncertainty as to whether birds are affected by PFAS pollution, whether species differ in sensitivity to PFAS, and whether the observed reproductive impairment is caused by PFAS or rather due to other potential confounding variables. Therefore, we investigated PFAS concentrations in eggs and blood plasma of great tit (Parus major) and blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) nestlings near a PFAS hotspot in Belgium, reproductive impairment, and associations between the accumulated levels and nestling body condition. In total, 29 eggs and 22 blood plasma samples of great tit clutches, and 10 egg and 10 blood plasma samples of blue tit clutches, were collected. Despite more types of PFAS being detected in eggs compared to plasma, only minor differences in profiles were observed between species. On the other hand, tissue-specific differences were more pronounced and likely reflect a combination of maternal transfer and dietary exposure post-hatching. Despite the high concentrations detected in both species, limited reproductive impairment was observed. Our results support previous findings that great tits and blue tits may not be very susceptible to PFAS pollution and provide evidence that other factors, including ecological stoichiometry, may be more important in explaining inter-species variation in PFAS accumulation and reproductive impairment.

Guidance on assessing the potential impacts of selenium in freshwater ecosystems.

Despite decades of fate and effects studies, environmental selenium (Se) contamination and management remain an issue for many freshwater systems in North America. Several regulatory bodies have promulgated updated targets or management levels for Se; however, additional guidance on best practices for monitoring Se to protect freshwater aquatic life is warranted. In this article, we describe current approaches to assessing the ecological risks of Se in impaired freshwater systems and outline recommended methods for collecting and analyzing biological and abiotic samples and interpreting data. Because reproductive impairment of fish populations is most commonly used to determine the potential impacts of Se, several biological factors that could affect Se toxicity are explored, including diet, trophic positions, reproductive biology, body size and maturity, migratory movements, and use of seasonal habitats. Measuring Se concentrations in mature eggs is the most reliable metric for estimating potential reproductive impairment in fish populations because the range of toxicity thresholds is relatively narrow for all but a few tolerant fish species. In situations where collecting mature eggs is not feasible, we review the use of alternative fish tissue for estimating potential effects. Factors affecting Se uptake from freshwater are also considered with guidance on collecting abiotic (e.g., water and sediment) and biotic components of aquatic food webs (e.g., macroinvertebrates, biofilm). Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;00:1-16. © 2024 SETAC.

Egg Mercury Concentration and Egg Size Varies with Position in the Laying Sequence in two Songbird Species.

In birds, mercury embryotoxicity can occur through the transfer of mercury from the female to her eggs. Maternal transfer of mercury can vary by egg position in the laying sequence, with first-laid eggs often exhibiting greater mercury concentrations than subsequently laid eggs. We studied egg mercury concentration, mercury burden (total amount of mercury in the egg), and egg morphometrics by egg position in the laying sequence for two songbirds: tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and house wrens (Troglodytes aedon). Egg mercury concentration in the second egg laid was 14% lower for tree swallows and 6% lower for house wrens in comparison with the first egg laid. These results indicate that in both species, after an initial relatively high transfer of mercury into the first egg laid, a smaller amount of mercury was transferred to the second egg laid. This lower mercury concentration persisted among all subsequently laid eggs (eggs three to eight) in tree swallows (all were 14%-16% lower than egg 1), but mercury concentrations in subsequently laid house wren eggs (eggs three to seven) returned to levels observed in the first egg laid (all were 1% lower to 3% greater than egg 1). Egg size increased with position in the laying sequence in both species; the predicted volume of egg 7 was 5% and 6% greater than that of egg 1 in tree swallows and house wrens, respectively. This change was caused by a significant increase in egg width, but not egg length, with position in the laying sequence. The percentage of decline in mercury concentration with position in the laying sequence was considerably lower in tree swallows and house wrens compared with other bird taxonomic groups, suggesting that there are key differences in the maternal transfer of mercury into songbird eggs compared with other birds. Finally, we performed simulations to evaluate how within-clutch variation in egg mercury concentrations affected estimates of mean mercury concentrations in each clutch and the overall sampled population, which has direct implications for sampling designs. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1844-1854. Published 2024. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Evaluation of Designer Chicken Eggs Enriched with Vitamin D3 and Zinc

Designer poultry eggs can be produced in various ways. In the present study chicken eggs were enriched with vitamin D3 and zinc by UVB (Ultra Violet Blue) light exposure (3 h/day) and dietary zinc supplementation (75 mg/kg) respectively. The study was conducted in thirty-two crossbred (White Leghorn N strain and Desi) layer birds. The trial was commenced from 29 weeks of age and conducted for 12 weeks. The current research work pointed out the enriching influence of UVB radiation and dietary zinc supplementation on concentration of vitamin D3 and zinc in eggs. Vitamin D3 and zinc concentrations in egg and serum were significantly higher (p&lt;0.01) compared to the control group. UVB exposure and zinc supplementation also had a significant (p&lt;0.01) impact on serum calcium and phosphorus levels. However, Liver enzyme activities of birds were not influenced either by UVB light exposure or by zinc supplementation. The dietary supplementation of hens with zinc is an effective approach to supply consumers with foods from animal sources that are enriched with zinc. Current findings showed that feeding of zinc supplemented diet to chickens offered a promising alternative to fortify egg with zinc. Furthermore, UVB light exposure would be a better choice for enhancing vitamin D3 content of eggs and to produce designer eggs enriched with vitamin D3. It increased the serum vitamin D3 level which was indicative of its transport from skin to ovaries after synthesis. The use of UVB exposure and zinc supplementation as an easy, cheap and safe procedure for producing dual enriched designer eggs with vitamin D3 and zinc is recommended as this would offer additional health benefits to consumers.

Mercury monitoring in the coastal areas of the Republic of Korea using the black-tailed gull egg as an indicator

In the southeast and east coasts of the Republic of Korea, it is essential to monitor mercury accumulation in coastal organisms in view of the higher mercury distribution in sediments and human samples. However, mercury pollution monitoring in organisms, especially higher trophic-level organisms that can exhibit high mercury accumulation, is limited. Here, we examined the applicability of the eggs of the black-tailed gull (Larus crassirostris), which belongs to a high trophic level, for mercury monitoring in coastal areas. Breeding sites were selected in West, Southeast, and East Seas with different mercury concentrations in other matrices (sediment and biological samples of residents). The 5-year mean total mercury concentration in eggs collected during the breeding seasons from 2016 to 2020 was lower in Baengnyeongdo (705 ± 81 ng/g dry weight (dry), West Sea) than in Hongdo (1,207 ± 214 ng/g dry, Southeast Sea) and Ulleungdo (1,095 ± 95 ng/g dry, East Sea). The different patterns of mercury concentration in gull eggs among the breeding sites was consistent with those in the other matrices among the coastal areas. These results support the applicability of the black-tailed gull egg as an indicator for establishing a monitoring framework in the coastal areas of the Republic of Korea.

Health risk assessment of heavy metal pollutants in Iranian hen eggs: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Eggs are a high-quality, nutrient-dense source of protein that is available at a relatively low price and the contamination of eggs by heavy metals is an important issue in public health. This review aimed to assess the risk of heavy metal pollutants in Iranian hen eggs. Original full-text available studies in Iran, detecting levels of Pb, Cd, As, and Hg in whole or part of the egg, and published between January 2000 and March 2023 were selected based on the inclusion criteria. The random-effect model was used to estimate the pooled concentrations of Pb, Cd, As, and Hg in Iranian eggs in meta-analysis. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) and the target hazard quotient (THQ) were estimated by both calculation and Monte Carlo simulations to determine the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk of egg consumption, respectively. The pooled concentrations of heavy metals in Iranian hen eggs from nine articles (11 datasets: 10 studies on Pb, 7 on Cd, and 5 on As and Hg concentrations) were Pb 0.29 (95% CI 0.20-0.39) mg kg-1, Cd 0.04 (95% CI 0.03-0.06) mg kg-1, As 0.05 (95% CI 0.03-0.07) mg kg-1, and Hg 0.03 (95% CI 0.02-0.04) mg kg-1. THQ did not show the non-carcinogenic risk; however, the ILCR for Pb concentration showed the threshold carcinogenic risk (mean ILCR = 8.94e - 4 and 9.0E - 4 by calculation and Monte Carlo simulations, respectively), with the greater risk for Cd (mean ILCR = 2.02e - 2). The carcinogenic risk of Pb and Cd concentration in Iranian hen eggs shows the urgent need for programs and policies to lower the risk for consumers by providing healthier feeding.

Embryonic methionine triggers post-natal developmental programming in Japanese quail

Embryonic development is one of the most sensitive and critical stages when maternal effects may influence the offspring’s phenotype. In birds and other oviparous species, embryonic development is confined to the eggs, therefore females must deposit resources into the eggs to prepare the offspring for the prevailing post-natal conditions. However, the mechanisms of such phenotypic adjustments remain poorly understood. We simulated a maternal nutritional transfer by injecting 1 mg of l-methionine solution into Japanese quail eggs before the onset of incubation. The increase in early methionine concentration in eggs activated the insulin/insulin-like signalling and mechanistic target of rapamycin (IIS/mTOR) signalling pathways and affected post-natal developmental trajectories. Chicks from methionine-supplemented eggs had higher expression of liver IGF1 and mTOR genes at hatching but were similar in size, and the phenotypic effects of increased growth became apparent only a week later and remained up to three weeks. Circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and expression of ribosomal protein serine 6 kinase 1 (RPS6K1), the mTOR downstream effector, were elevated only three weeks after hatching. These results show that specific nutritional cues may have phenotypic programming effects by sequentially activating specific nutrient-sensing pathways and achieving transgenerational phenotypic plasticity.

Evaluation of Iron Metabolism in a Sample of Children Infected with Pinworm Disease in Anbar Province/ Iraq

Pinworm Enterobius vermicularis is a common parasitic worm that infects humans, and its disease is widespread around the world, especially among children. Its infection occurs in areas with poor health and environmental conditions that lack personal hygiene. The study was conducted to determine pinworm infection prevalence in the several areas of Anbar Governorate and the status of some physiological indicators associated with it. The entire children attending Fallujah Teaching Hospital ages between 4 and 15 years were part of the study, and the study period included November 2022 to November 2023. The total samples comprised 1350 samples from various locations in Anbar Governorate. The infection was diagnosed in this study by direct microscopic examinations with a Logul-iodine-stained swab, and egg concentration methods, namely flotation with salt and zinc sulphate, and ana adhesive tape method. Physiological tests i.e. iron levels, ferironportin, and iron transporters. Analysis of the study yielded a total pinworm infection rate of 6.28% of all samples. The blood test results showed a marked reduction in hemoglobin level and an increment in eosinophils count in the infected group compared to the healthy controls. Concomitantly, total iron, ferroportin, and diaphoretic transporter levels decreased in the infected group providing an association between infection with the parasite and anemia.

Heavy metal contamination in duck eggs from a mercury mining area, southwestern China.

Mercury (Hg) contamination in the environment around mercury mines is often accompanied by heavy metal contamination. Here, we determined concentrations of chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and lead (Pb) in duck eggs from a Hg mining area in Southwest China to assess the contamination and health risk. Duck eggs obtained from the mining area exhibit higher concentrations of Cr, Zn, Sr, Ba, and Pb compared to those from the background area, with egg yolks containing higher metal levels than egg whites. Specifically, the mean Cr, Zn, Sr, Ba, and Pb concentrations of duck eggs from the Hg mining area are 0.38, 63.06, 4.86, 10.08, and 0.05 μg/g, respectively, while those from the background area are only 0.21, 24.65, 1.43, 1.05, and 0.01 μg/g. Based on the single-factor contamination index and health risk assessment, heavy metal contamination in duck eggs poses an ecological risk and health risk. This study provides important insight into heavy metal contamination in duck eggs from Hg mining areas.

A6 LYSOPHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE (LPC) AND LYSOPHOSPHATIDIC ACID (LPA) INDUCE VISCERAL HYPERSENSITIVITY IN IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS)

Abstract Background Chronic abdominal pain is the key symptom in IBS. Gut microbiota produces a large variety of molecules that can regulate pain perception, including bioactive lipids. LPC and LPA are phospholipids, known to generate and maintain neurogenic pain in mammals, by directly activating multiple channels and G-protein coupled receptors on sensory neurons. LPC and LPA result from the conversion of phosphatidylcholine (PC), a major membrane-forming phospholipid in eucaryotes, as byproducts of inflammation. PC is also present in high concentration in eggs, meat and soybeans. It is unknown whether these two phospholipids play any role in chronic abdominal pain and whether they can be produced by the gut microbiota. Aims To investigate whether 1) LPC and LPA are increased in stool of IBS patients, and 2) whether microbiota from IBS patients can produce LPC and LPA and lead to visceral hypersensitivity. Methods Stool samples from 27 patients with IBS, collected both during periods of severe and minimal/no pain, were assessed for LPC and LPA levels by ELISA. Germ-free (GF) NIH Swiss and Swiss Webster mice (n=101) both sexes were colonized with fecal microbiota from IBS patients with either high or low fecal LPC and LPA levels, or microbiota from healthy controls. Mice were fed with control diet or diet enriched with PC diet (2g/kg of diet) for 5 weeks. Their visceral sensitivity was then assessed by measuring visceromotor responses to colorectal distension. The fecal samples were collected to measure the production of LPC and LPA Results The fecal concentrations of LPC and LPA were higher in IBS patients when experiencing severe abdominal pain, compared to periods of minimal or no pain. Mice colonized with fecal microbiota from IBS patients with high fecal LPC and/or LPA displayed visceral hypersensitivity compared to mice colonized with microbiota from healthy controls, or microbiota from patients with low fecal LPC and/or LPA levels. However, this increase in visceral sensitivity was only found in mice fed with diet enriched with PC. Furthermore, the increased pain responses to colorectal distension correlated with higher concentrations of fecal LPC and LPA. Conclusions Our data suggest that bacterial LPC and LPA is responsible for chronic abdominal pain in a subset of patients with IBS. Further studies are needed to identify the specific bacterial strains that produce these nociceptive phospholipids and precise mechanisms by which LPC and LPA induce visceral hypersensitivity. Funding Agencies CIHRThe W.Garfield Weston Foundation

Comparative efficacy of hydroxychloride and organic sources of zinc, copper, and manganese on egg production and concentration of trace minerals in eggs, plasma, and excreta in female broiler breeders from 42 to 63 weeks of age

Comparative efficacy of hydroxychloride (HC) and organic (OR) sources of Zn, Cu and Mn on performance of broiler breeders (BB) between 42 and 63 weeks of age (WOA) was investigated. A total of 408 ♀ Ross 708 and 48 ♂ Yield Plus cockerels were placed in pens (17 ♀ and 2 ♂) housed in 2 rooms (12 pens/room) and allocated to one of 2 diets in a completely randomized block design (n=12). The diets had similar nutrient specifications but differed in Zn, Cu, and Mn sources: 1) HO, a blend of 80% HC and 20% OR sources, and 2) OR, 100% OR sources. Birds were fed and managed according to breeder guidelines. The egg count was recorded daily and categorized as normal or abnormal. Egg yolk color, albumen height, Haugh unit, eggshell thickness, and eggshell breaking strength were assessed every 4 wk. Individual hen body weight (BW) was recorded at 5-wk intervals to determine BW uniformity. At 52 and 63 WOA, the eggs and excreta samples were collected. At the end of the trial, 4 hens per pen were bled for plasma concentration of trace minerals and organs (liver, gizzard, spleen, kidney, and thymus) weight. There were no interactions between source and age on any parameters (P > 0.05). There were no main effects of source on egg production, eggshell quality, BW, and organs weight (P > 0.05). Hens fed HO diets had darker yolk compared to those fed OR diets (P = 0.014). The concentration of Zn in the eggs of OR BB was higher (P = 0.022) than for HO birds. However, there were no dietary effects on the concentration of trace minerals in the egg, plasma, and excreta (P > 0.05). The results indicated that a mixture of HC and O as sources for Zn, Cu, and Mn was as effective as OR sources in supporting egg production, egg quality, and trace mineral utilization in broiler breeders.

Thiamine Deficiency M74 Developed in Salmon (Salmo salar) Stocks in Two Baltic Sea Areas after the Hatching of Large Year-Classes of Two Clupeid Species—Detected by Fatty Acid Signature Analysis

Lipid-related thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency of Baltic salmon (Salmo salar), the M74 syndrome, is generally caused by feeding on abundant young sprat (Sprattus sprattus) in the Baltic Proper, the main foraging area of these salmon. In 2014, a strong year-class of sprat was hatched in the Baltic Proper, and a strong herring (Clupea harengus) year-class was hatched in the Gulf of Bothnia, where herring is the dominant salmon prey. The fatty acid (FA) signatures of prey fish in muscle or eggs of second sea-year spawners suggested that 27% of wild River Simojoki and 68% of reared River Dal salmon remained in the Gulf of Bothnia in 2014 instead of continuing to the Baltic Proper. In 2016, 23% of the M74 females of the River Simojoki and 58% of the River Dal originated from the Gulf of Bothnia, and 13% and 16%, respectively, originated from the Baltic Proper. Some salmon from the River Neris in the southern Baltic Proper had also been feeding in the Gulf of Bothnia. In general, low free thiamine (THIAM) concentration in eggs was associated with high lipid content and high docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n−3) and n−3 polyunsaturated FA (n−3 PUFA) concentrations in muscle but not in eggs. A higher THIAM concentration and lower proportions of DHA and n−3 PUFAs in Arctic Ocean salmon eggs, despite higher egg lipid content, indicated that their diet contained fewer fatty fish than the Baltic salmon diet. Hence, M74 originated by foraging heavily on young fatty sprat in the Baltic Proper or herring in the Gulf of Bothnia.

Quantification of toxic metals in chicken egg and chicken feed via SOM-artificial neural network.

Poultry products such as meat and eggs are rich sources of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. It is a good indicator of healthy food. Keeping in view, the present study is designed to evaluate the prevalence of toxic heavy metals (lead, nickel, cadmium, and chromium) in chicken eggs and feed. For this purpose, five samples of egg and feed were collected from five different commercial markets in Skardu City. Each sample was prepared using the wet digestion method and analyzed using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results showed that lead, nickel, and chromium were present in varying amounts in the feed and egg, with nickel being the most concentrated metal, followed by lead and chromium in egg samples, while the feed samples showed the highest concentration of chromium followed by lead and nickel. However, concentrations of selected heavy metals except cadmium were all above the permissible limit of the World Health Organization. The self-organizing map-artificial neural network is employed for the identification of patterns of heavy metals in chicken feed and egg samples. The lower left neurons of the maps showed higher heavy metal concentrations found in samples taken from Bazar, whereas the rest of the samples showed varied concentrations. A comparison of feed and egg concentrations showed that nickel concentration was lower in feed samples than in egg samples. The lead concentration decreased in eggs except in the Krasmathang feed sample. Chromium concentration presented a negative correlation due to the extremely high concentration found in the Bazar feed sample.

Egg Quality and Heavy Metal Concentrations in Meat, Eggs and Inner Organs of Laying Ducks Fed under a Conventional Feeding in Lombok, Indonesia

The search for alternative protein sources for duck feed is important considering its high cost. An experiment involving 100 forty-wk-old laying ducks was conducted for eight weeks to study the effects of fresh water fish (sapu-sapu fish -SSF) as single protein sources on egg quality and heavy metal concentration. The SSF levels were 28 and 35% of the feed and the remaining constituent was rice bran with metabolizable energy approximately 2,943 and 2,934 kcal/kg, respectively. Fresh water fish did not effect on egg quality measured except egg weight and shell thickness (63.2±0.30 to 67.9±0.22g) and shell thickness (0.50±0.04 to 0.52±0.04g) with increasing dietary SFF(P&lt;0.05). Mean concentrations of heavy metals in local duck samples decreased in the order kidney&gt;liver&gt;egg&gt;meat for Pb and liver&gt;kidney&gt;meat&gt;egg for Cu. Lead concentrations in meat, eggs, liver and kidney were 1.267± 0.825, 1.311±0.737, 1.762±0.729 and 2.172±0.770 mg/kg respectively. These values were higher than the admissible amounts under the Indonesian National Standards (1.0 mg Pb/kg) and FAO (0.1 mg Pb/kg). Accumulation of Cu in the meat, eggs, liver and kidney was 12.798±4.181, 7.011±1.949, 30.165±16.561 and 14.392± 4.208 mg/kg respectively. These levels were also higher than that recommended by the European Commission. The conclusion of this study proved that feeding SSF to laying ducks raised by small farmers contained a significantly high concentration of heavy metals not appropriate for human consumption when high levels of SSF was fed

The Level of Fat- and Water-Soluble Antioxidants in Eggs of Free-Range Geese during a Production Season

In this investigation, egg yolk and egg white water and fat-soluble antioxidant concentrations of geese eggs were determined during a production season according to months and weeks. Breeders consumed 100 g commercial layer feed per day during a production season. The farm was located at a semi-open prison of the Ministry of Justice in Van city. Fat-soluble (vitamin A, E, total and individual carotene) of egg yolk and water-soluble (ascorbic acid and GSH) antioxidants of egg white of geese were measured in February, March, April and May per week gazed in pasture conditions. Roche Yolk Color Fun (RYCF) values and Minolta (L* brightness, a* redness, and b* yellowness) values varied according to months and statistically significant differences were observed (p &amp;lt;0.05). RYCF, a * redness, and b *yellowness values were the lowest in February and L* brightness values were the highest in February (p &amp;lt;0.001). According to months (February-May), the egg yolk concentration of vitamin A (retinol) were 3.05±0.11, 1.84±0.10, 1.93±0.09, 2.84±0.19 µg g-1, total vitamin E were 26.87±1.80, 25.07±1.64, 38.16±1.71, 34.30±1.89 µg g-1, and total carotene were 15.49±1.44, 19.50±1.79, 42.39±1.99, 44.30±2.03 µg g-1 (p &amp;lt;0.05), respectively. In this study, lutein, cis-lutein, zeaxanthin, apoester, canthaxanthin, and beta-carotene were identified as individual carotene in goose egg yolks. Glutathione (GSH) and Vitamin C or ascorbic acid (AA) were detected in geese eggs white in the last two weeks of February and four weeks of March, April, and May. The results were recorded as: 0.91±0.14, 1.83±0.19, 2.69±0.15, 1.97±0.09 µg g-1 for AA and 7.71±1.86, 33.22±2.14, 45.37±2.41, 38.75±1.50 µg g-1 for GSH respectively. Both water-soluble GSH and AA data were significantly lower in February and were significantly higher in April (p &amp;lt;0.05) compared to other months.

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances in commercial organic eggs via fishmeal in feed

Chicken eggs can be a significant source of human PFAS exposure. A survey of PFAS in commercial eggs from larger farms across Denmark showed the absence or low contents of PFAS in free-range and barn eggs. However, organic eggs from eight farms collected in September 2022 had a similar profile of nine PFASs with a predominance of odd over even carbon length PFCAs. Farm 11–13 e.g. had egg yolk ng/g concentrations of PFOA 0.07 ± 0.02; PFNA 0.37 ± 0.04; PFDA 0.13 ± 0.00; PFUnDA 0.22 ± 0.04; PFDoDA 0.06 ± 0.02; PFTrDA 0.15 ± 0.04; PFTeDA 0.02 ± 0.02; PFHxS 0.10 ± 0.04; PFOS 2.62 ± 0.11. Normalised to PFOS, the relative sum of other PFAS showed no difference between the eight organic egg samples, but significant differences between mean individual PFASs (p = 1.4E-25), reflecting a similar profile. The PFAS found in two fishmeal samples with the same origin as the fishmeal used for the organic feed production, could account for the contents in the eggs via estimated transfer from the feed. Furthermore, the estimated transfer from concentration in feed to concentration in egg increased with the carbon length of the PFCA. Exposure (95th percentile) of ∑4PFAS (PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, PFOS) solely from consumption of 311 g ∼ 5–6 organic eggs/week was for children 4–9 years 10.4 ng/kg bw, i.e. a significant exceedance of the tolerable weekly intake of 4.4 ng/kg bw established by the European Food Safety Authority. Based on the PFAS exposures from organic egg consumption, the organic egg producers decided voluntarily to cease adding fishmeal to the feed. Since the feed-to-egg half-lives are ≤1 week for PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS, the removal of fishmeal as a feed ingredient should eliminate PFAS after 1–2 months. This was demonstrated in analyses of ten organic egg samples collected by the authorities without PFAS in eight and with 0.1 and 0.4 ng/g ∑4PFAS in two samples.

Prediction of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in homegrown eggs: Insights into abiotic and biotic factors affecting bioavailability and derivation of potential remediation measures

Homegrown eggs from free-ranging laying hens often contain elevated concentrations of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs). However, it is unclear which factors contribute to these relatively large exposure risk scenarios. Moreover, existing bioavailability and modeling concepts of conventional organic pollutants cannot be generalized to PFAAs due to their different physicochemical soil interactions. Therefore, there is an urgent need for empirical models, based on real-world data, to provide insights into how (a)biotic factors affect the bioavailability to eggs. To this end, 17 targeted analytes were analyzed in abiotic (i.e. rainwater, soil; both N = 101) matrices and homegrown eggs (N = 101), which were sampled in 101 private gardens across Flanders (Belgium) in 2019, 2021 and 2022. Various soil characteristics were measured to evaluate their role in affecting PFAA bioavailability to the eggs. Finally, PFAAs were measured in potential feed sources (i.e. homegrown vegetable and earthworm pools; respectively N = 49 and N = 34) of the laying hens to evaluate their contribution to the egg burden. Modeling suggested that soil was a major exposure source to laying hens, accounting for 16–55% of the total variation in egg concentrations for dominant PFAAs. Moreover, concentrations in vegetables and earthworms for PFBA and PFOS, respectively, were significantly positively related with corresponding egg concentrations. Predictive models based on soil concentrations, total organic carbon (TOC), pH, clay content and exchangeable cations were successfully developed for major PFAAs, providing possibilities for time- and cost-effective risk assessment of PFAAs in homegrown eggs. Among other soil characteristics, TOC and clay content were related with lower and higher egg concentrations for most PFAAs, respectively. This suggests that bioavailability of PFAAs to the eggs is driven by complex physicochemical interactions of PFAAs with TOC and clay. Finally, remediation measures were formulated that are readily applicable to lower PFAA exposure via homegrown eggs.

Improvement of foaming properties of ovalbumin: Insights into the synergistic effect of preheating and high-intensity ultrasound on physicochemical properties and structure analysis

Ovalbumin (OVA), characterized by its high concentration in eggs, possesses remarkable foaming properties. Nevertheless, OVA is highly sensitive to thermal changes and acid-base conditions, substantially hampering its application potential for foaming purposes within the food industry. This experiment aimed to examine the effects of preheating and high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) treatment at different powers on OVA foaming properties and explore the underlying mechanisms. The results revealed that OVA exhibited the highest foaming capacity (31.5 %) and foaming stability (96.7 %) under the treatment condition of 200w + 60°C. Additionally, significant improvements were observed in the content of free sulfhydryl groups (37.27 μmg/g), solution viscosity (142.33 mPa·s), and surface hydrophobicity (37.27 μg BPB) under this condition. The absolute value of the zeta potential (-10.28 mV) was significantly increased in the 200w + 60°C treatment group. Moreover, the polymer dispersity index of OVA (0.6045) was significantly reduced, resulting in improved dispersion than the control group. The structural analysis revealed significant changes in the α-helix and β-sheet content of OVA after treatment at 200w + 60 °C. The X-ray diffraction pattern exhibited sharper peaks, indicating a crystal structure, and the fluorescence peak displayed a slight blue shift along with increased hydrophobicity. Moreover, the preheating and HIU treatment induced a continuous uneven and irregular pore structure in OVA, which ultimately enhanced its foaming properties. In conclusion, the preheating and HIU treatment offers a novel approach to enhance the foaming properties of OVA.