Validation of Folate-Enriched Eggs as a Functional Food for Improving Folate Intake in Consumers

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Abstract

Abstract: Functional foods enriched with folate may be beneficial as a means of optimizing folatestatus in consumers. We recently developed novel eggs enriched with folate through folic acidsupplementation of the hen’s feed, but their potential to influence consumer folate status is unknownbecause the natural folate forms incorporated into the eggs may not necessarily be retained duringstorage and cooking. This study aimed to determine the stability of natural folates in folate-enrichedeggs under typical conditions of storage and cooking. Total folate was determined by microbiologicalassay following tri-enzyme treatment in folate-enriched eggs and un-enriched (barn and free-range)on the day they were laid, after storage (up to 27 days) and after using four typical cooking methods(boiling, poaching, frying, scrambling) for different durations. On the day of laying, the folate contentof enriched eggs was found to be significantly higher than that of un-enriched barn or free-rangeeggs (mean ± SD; 123.2 ± 12.4 vs. 41.2 ± 2.8 vs. 65.6 ± 18.5 µg/100 g; p <0.001). Storage atrefrigerator and room temperature for periods up to the Best Before date resulted in no significantlosses to the folate content of folate-enriched eggs. Furthermore, folate in enriched eggs remainedstable when cooked by four typical methods for periods up to the maximum cooking time (e.g.,135 ± 22.5, 133.9 ± 23.0 and 132.5 ± 35.1; p = 0.73, for raw, scrambled for 50 s and scrambled for2 min, respectively). Thus, natural folates in folate-enriched eggs remain highly stable with little orno losses following storage and cooking. These findings are important because they demonstrate thefeasibility of introducing folate-enriched eggs into the diet of consumers as functional foods withenriched folate content. Further studies will confirm their effectiveness in optimizing the biomarkerfolate status of consumers.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)777
JournalNutrients
Volume8
Issue number12
Early online date30 Nov 2016
DOIs
Publication statusPublished online - 30 Nov 2016

Keywords

  • folate-enriched eggs
  • folate stability
  • food folate analysis
  • novel foods
  • functional foods

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