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We recently demonstrated that daily whole egg consumption during moderate carbohydrate restriction leads to greater increases in plasma HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and improvements in HDL profiles in metabolic syndrome (MetS) when compared to intake of a yolk-free egg substitute. We further investigated the effects of this intervention on HDL composition and function, hypothesizing that the phospholipid species present in egg yolk modulate HDL lipid composition to increase the cholesterol-accepting capacity of subject serum. Men and women classified with MetS were randomly assigned to consume either three whole eggs (EGG, n  = 20) per day or the equivalent amount of egg substitute (SUB, n  = 17) throughout a 12-week moderate carbohydrate-restricted (25–30 % of energy) diet. Relative to other HDL lipids, HDL-cholesteryl ester content increased in all subjects, with greater increases in the SUB group. Further, HDL-triacylglycerol content was reduced in EGG group subjects with normal baseline plasma HDL-C, resulting in increases in HDL-CE/TAG ratios in both groups. Phospholipid analysis by mass spectrometry revealed that HDL became enriched in phosphatidylethanolamine in the EGG group, and that EGG group HDL better reflected sphingomyelin species present in the whole egg product at week 12 compared to baseline. Further, macrophage cholesterol efflux to EGG subject serum increased from baseline to week 12, whereas no changes were observed in the SUB group. Together, these findings suggest that daily egg consumption promotes favorable shifts in HDL lipid composition and function beyond increasing plasma HDL-C in MetS.

The present research evaluated the effect of water-soluble cannabidiol (CBD) emulsion on egg yolk fatty acid profile, liver health, and gene expression in laying hens. 180 Lohmann Brown Classic hens were divided into experimental groups, including a control group, a blank group (emulsifier only), and three groups receiving CBD. Cannabidiol was administered in drinking water for 15 weeks at doses of 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg body weight in group I, group II, and group III, respectively. The analysis indicated that the highest-dose CBD significantly increased yolk polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), particularly omega-3 and omega-6, as well as the serum HDL level. However, this was accompanied by downregulation of PPAR-γ expression. The histopathology of the liver did not show any differences among the groups, and tissue morphology remained normal without structural alterations. The expression of fatty acid desaturation genes, such as FADS1 and FADS2 , remained stable, indicating preserved desaturation function and PUFAs biosynthesis. These results suggest that while the highest dose of CBD enhances lipid mobilization and yolk deposition, it simultaneously may affect PPAR-γ -mediated lipid pathways (e.g., adipogenic programming or lipid storage/transport) despite intact desaturation pathways. While hemp-derived products such as seeds and meals have been tested in poultry diets, the specific role of purified cannabidiol (CBD) in regulating lipid metabolism and liver health in laying hens has not been previously addressed. This is the first study to investigate the molecular impact of purified CBD on lipid metabolism and liver function in laying hens, explaining its potential as a functional feed additive in poultry nutrition. Graphical Abstract

Hydrolyzed egg yolk peptide (YPEP) was shown to increase bone mineral density in ovariectomized rats. However, the underlying mechanism of YPEP on osteoporosis has not been explored. Recent studies have shown that Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and gut microbiota may be involved in the regulation of bone metabolism and the progression of osteoporosis. The present study aimed to explore the preventive effect of the YPEP supplementation on osteoporosis in ovariectomized (OVX) rats and to verify whether YPEP can improve osteoporosis by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and gut microbiota. The experiment included five groups: sham surgery group (SHAM), ovariectomy group (OVX), 17-β estradiol group (E2: 25 µg /kg/d 17β-estradiol), OVX with low-dose YPEP group (LYPEP: 10 mg /kg/d YPEP) and OVX with high-dose YPEP group (HYPEP: 40 mg /kg/d YPEP). In this study, all the bone samples used were femurs. Micro-CT analysis revealed improvements in both bone mineral density (BMD) and microstructure by YPEP treatment. The three-point mechanical bending test indicated an enhancement in the biomechanical properties of the YPEP groups. The serum levels of bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), bone gla protein (BGP), calcium (Ca), and phosphorus (P) were markedly higher in the YPEP groups than in the OVX group. The LYPEP group had markedly lower levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I) than the OVX group. The YPEP groups had significantly higher protein levels of the Wnt3a, β-catenin, LRP5, RUNX2 and OPG of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway compared with the OVX group. Compared to the OVX group, the ratio of OPG/RANKL was markedly higher in the LYPEP group. At the genus level, there was a significantly increase in relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and a decrease in Escherichia_Shigella in YPEP groups, compared with the OVX group. However, in the correlation analysis, there was no correlation between these two bacteria and bone metabolism and microstructure indexes. These findings demonstrate that YPEP has the potential to improve osteoporosis, and the mechanism may be associated with its modulating effect on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Chicken eggs play an important role as food resources in the world. Although genetic effects on yolk and albumen contents have been reported, the number of chicken genotypes analyzed so far is still limited. To investigate the effect of genetic background on 10 egg traits, 19 yolk amino acid traits, and 19 albumen amino acid traits, we evaluated a total of 58 eggs from five genotypes: two Japanese indigenous breeds (Ukokkei and Nagoya) and three hybrids (Araucana cross, Kurohisui, and Boris Brown) under a floor rearing system. One-way ANOVA revealed significant effects of genotype on 10 egg traits, 8 yolk amino acids (Asp, Glu, Ser, Gly, Thr, Tyr, Cys, and Leu), and 11 albumen amino acids (Asp, Glu, Asn, Ser, Gln, His, Ala, Tyr, Trp, Phe, and Ile) contents. Moderate to strong positive phenotypic correlations among traits within each trait category (size and weight traits, yolk amino acid traits, and albumen amino acid traits), whereas there were basically no or weak correlations among the trait categories. However, a unique feature was found in the Araucana cross indicating moderate positive correlations of amino acids between yolk and albumen. These results suggest that genetic factors can modify not only the size and weight of the egg and eggshell color but also yolk and albumen free amino acids contents.

With the rapid development of the laying hen industry and the continuous innovation of farming technology, egg production continues to increase. Eggs are rich in proteins, lipids, and immunoglobulins (IgY) found in the egg yolk. IgY can be used to treat human diseases and prevent bacterial and viral infections. In addition, IgY has advantages over IgG in biological structure and function and is characterized by high specificity, safety, yield, and economic efficiency. This review describes the basic structure and properties of IgY, lists a variety of IgY purification methods, and outlines measures to maintain and enhance its activity, focusing on the current status of its research in immunoprevention and treatment of human diseases and outlines its importance, and finally proposes the current challenges and future research priorities of IgY in the field of biomedical research to provide a scientific basis for the wide range of applications of IgY in human health.

Table eggs are a vital dietary component owing to their nutritional value; however, bacterial contamination, particularly of eggshells, poses significant public health risks. In Sudan, these risks are exacerbated by inadequate hygiene, poor storage conditions, and limited regulatory oversight, which compromise egg safety in local markets. This preliminary, exploratory, cross-sectional, laboratory-based study aimed to evaluate bacterial contamination, assess physical characteristics, examine the pH of albumen and yolk, and investigate the associations among these factors in table eggs from Khartoum North. A total of 46 samples (three eggs per sample, totalling 138 eggs) were randomly collected from five types of retail outlets in Khartoum North in September 2020. Eggshell, albumen, and yolk samples were tested for aerobic bacterial contamination and total viable bacterial counts (TVC) using standard microbiological methods. Physical characteristics, including yolk colour, shell thickness, albumen height, shell strength, Haugh unit (HU), and albumen weight, were assessed using a Digital Egg Tester 6000, whereas pH levels were measured using a HI98107 pH meter. ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation were used to evaluate relationships, and Bayesian statistics were applied to estimate the pH values. Eggshell contamination by Staphylococcus spp. is widespread. (89.1%), Corynebacterium spp. (23.9%) being the most prevalent, followed by Escherichia coli (19.5%) and Salmonella spp. (15.2%). No bacteria were isolated from the albumen or yolk. A significant positive correlation was observed between the TVC and albumen pH ( r  = 0.540, P  < 0.001), whereas other internal traits showed weak, non-significant correlations. The physical classification identified Grade AA (32.6%), A (34.8%), and B (32.6%) eggs. Weak correlations were found between shell strength and HU ( r  = 0.155, 95% CI: −0.141 − 0.427, P  = 0.302) and between egg weight and HU ( r  = − 0.175, 95% CI: −0.434–0.121, P  = 0.244). ANOVA revealed no significant differences in shell strength ( F  = 2.622, P  = 0.084) or thickness ( F  = 0.115, P  = 0.892) across grades. Bayesian estimates showed slight pH increases from Grade AA to B in yolk (6.363–6.555; 95% CrIs: 6.135–6.791) and albumen (8.463–8.604; 95% CrIs: 8.013–9.071), but non-significant differences. However, the overlapping CrIs indicated that these differences were not significant. The presence of Staphylococcus and E. coli on eggshells indicates inadequate hygiene. Bacterial load is linked to albumen pH, indicating that external microbes influence internal composition. Quality variations were observed based on egg grade and source, with contamination undermining the internal defences. Albumen pH is an indicator of freshness. Monitoring the shells and conducting physicochemical tests could enhance the traditional methods. Policymakers must enforce standards to ensure the safety of eggs. Given the preliminary and exploratory nature of this study, coupled with the limitations of a small and uneven sample size, the findings should be interpreted with caution. These results are meant to generate hypotheses, highlighting the need for further research with larger, more representative samples, balanced sampling strategies, and more comprehensive methods. Such efforts are crucial for validating and expanding these observations and deepening our understanding of bacterial contamination and egg quality.

Hempseed products represent potential alternative feed ingredients for poultry. However, their usage is not currently approved due to a lack of data to support their safety and efficacy. In this regard, the current study was conducted to assess the impact of dietary concentration of hempseed (HS) products and duration of their feeding to hens on the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) composition of egg yolk lipids. In the current study, 48 Lohmann LSL-Classic hens were individually housed in metabolism cages, in a completely randomized design, and provided one of six diets (wheat-barley-soybean-based) containing either HS (10, 20 and 30 %), hempseed oil (HO; 4.5 and 9.0 %) or no hempseed product (control) over 12 weeks. Increasing alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) intake via increasing dietary hempseed product inclusion, significantly ( p  < 0.0001) increased the n-3 PUFA contents of yolk total lipid. The values of ALA increased by 12-fold (152 ± 3.56 and 156 ± 2.42 mg/yolk) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) by twofold to threefold (41.3 ± 1.57 and 43.6 ± 1.61 mg/yolk) over the control, for the highest levels of HS and HO inclusion, respectively. Increasing levels of hemp products in laying hen diets proved effective in manipulating the fatty acid profile of the total lipid, triacylglycerol (TAG) and total phospholipid (PL) fractions of yolks, enhancing the n-3 fatty acids and reducing the n-6/n-3 ratio. The latter benefit was achieved within 4 weeks of feeding hens either HS- or HO-containing diets.

Microalgae have gained attention in laying hen nutrition due to their richness in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), pigments, and antioxidants. However, their efficacy in poultry diets remains inconsistent. This meta-analysis quantitatively evaluated the effects of dietary microalgae supplementation on performance, egg quality, yolk fatty acid composition, and blood biochemistry in laying hens. Thirty-six peer-reviewed articles were retrieved from Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Google Scholar following PRISMA guidelines, and effect sizes were calculated using weighted mean differences. Microalgae supplementation did not affect feed intake ( p  > 0.05) but significantly improved hen-day egg production, egg weight, egg mass, yolk weight, shell traits, and Haugh units ( p  < 0.05). Yolk pigmentation increased in color intensity and redness ( p  < 0.001) but decreased in lightness ( p  < 0.001). Microalgae enhanced yolk total n-3 PUFA, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid ( p  < 0.001), while reducing n-6 PUFA and the n-6/n-3 ratio ( p  < 0.05). Blood total cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase concentrations decreased ( p  < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary microalgae supplementation augments laying performance, enhances egg quality and yolk pigmentation, fortifies yolk with beneficial n-3 fatty acids, and promotes liver health, highlighting its potential as a functional feed additive in layer diets.

The entomopathogenic nematode (EPN), Steinernema yirgalemense, is an effective biological control agent against a variety of important insect pests in South Africa. To develop a South African EPN product feasibly in South Africa, EPNs need to be mass-produced. This study aimed to record the population dynamics of S. yirgalemense with in vitro liquid production in shake flasks, with a protein source of powdered egg yolk. The Erlenmeyer flask results indicated variation between flasks, albeit still achieving high yields. The reasons for attaining such variability in the recovery, yield, and growth stages are unclear, hence requiring further studies seeking to increase consistency. The results obtained indicate that, when IJ recovery is low, yields are also low due to relatively few reproductive adults being present in solution, which, in turn, produces more offspring, which later converts to the desired infective juvenile used for product formulation development. For commercial viability, a consistent production system is required that produces predictable yields. This study showed comparable high yields achieved with the flasks and in an early-stage bioreactor setup, being a positive development for S. yirgalemense mass production. Prior to the bioreactor scale-up process, protocol of mass production, the population and growth dynamics of the nematodes in the flask environment requires understanding. This is a positive step, leading to the future commercialisation of a local EPN product.

An egg yolk protein by-product following ethanol extraction of phospholipids (YP) was hydrolyzed with pepsin to produce and identify novel peptides that revealed antioxidant, ACE inhibitory and antidiabetic (α-glucosidase and DPP-IV inhibitory) activities. The peptic hydrolysate of YP was fractionated by ion-exchange chromatography and reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography. Isolated peptides were identified using mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF) and the Mascot Search Results database. Four peptides of MW ranging from 1,210.62 to 1,677.88 Da corresponded to the fragments of Apolipoprotein B (YINQMPQKSRE; YINQMPQKSREA), Vitellogenin-2 (VTGRFAGHPAAQ) and Apovitellenin-1 (YIEAVNKVSPRAGQF). These peptides were chemically synthesized and showed antioxidant, ACE inhibitory or/and antidiabetic activities. Peptide YIEAVNKVSPRAGQF exerted the strongest ACE inhibitory activity, with IC₅₀ = 9.4 µg/mL. The peptide YINQMPQKSRE showed the strongest DPPH free radical scavenging and DPP-IV inhibitory activities and its ACE inhibitory activity (IC₅₀) reached 10.1 µg/mL. The peptide VTGRFAGHPAAQ revealed the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 365.4 µg/mL). A novel nutraceutical effect for peptides from an egg yolk hydrolysate was shown.