Designer egg evaluation in a controlled trial

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the ability of designer eggs enriched in vitamin E, lutein, selenium (Se) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to deliver micronutrients to the human in a palatable and visually acceptable form.

Design: Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, two treatment groups balanced for sex and age.

Setting: Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, SAC, Scotland.

Subjects: Forty healthy adult volunteers completed the study. Volunteers were recruited among staff of the Scottish Agricultural College

Interventions: Volunteers consumed, for 8 weeks, either a designer egg or a normal table egg per day. Fasting blood samples were taken before and at the end of the study.

Results: Consumption of designer eggs enriched in vitamin E, lutein, Se and DHA significantly increased the levels of α-tocopherol, lutein and DHA in plasma as compared to the changes found after consumption of normal table eggs, with the largest increases found in plasma lutein (1.88-fold increase). The proportion of DHA was increased in all the main lipid classes of the plasma including triacylglycerol (2.3-fold), free fatty acids (1.6-fold), cholesteryl ester (1.4-fold) and phospholipid (1.3-fold). Egg consumption did not change Se concentration in plasma, blood pressure, total plasma lipid concentrations or the concentrations of total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol in plasma.

Conclusion: Consumption of designer eggs enriched in vitamin E, lutein, DHA and Se as part of normal diet for 8 weeks effectively increased the blood levels of α-tocopherol, lutein and DHA.

Sponsorship: Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment, and Fisheries Department.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2000) 54, 298–305