Designer eggs, where do we go?

Meeting consumer demands is a constant challenge for the animal food industry. Today’s consumers are far more conscious  of the link between health and diet than previous generations. Many consumers desire somewhat distinct products with respect to safety, healthfulness, freshness, taste, colour, etc.

It seems that declining trend of egg consumption has stopped, but consumers still limit their intake of eggs because of adverse publicity about saturated fats and cholesterol.

What the industry has done in response to the market’s demands concerning eggs-related phobias? “Designer eggs” are those in which the content has been modified from the standard egg.

A small percentage of eggs (estimated 3 to 5%) sold are designer eggs. The designer eggs  have already been marketed in Canada and several other countries.

The nutrient composition of the egg is greatly influenced by the diet of the hen. It is not possible to make major changes to the total amount of fat present in the egg yolk but it is easy to modify its fatty acid profile by appropriate dietary manipulations.

There have been considerable efforts to increase polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) including the linolenic acid content of eggs over the past years. It seems these fatty acids are beneficial in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases in humans.

Consumption of PUFAs has also been shown to promote infant growth and development. The egg has progressed faster than poultry meat in terms of production and marketing of n-3 fatty acid enriched products.

As we all know, consumer approval is key for success. Eggs enriched with n-3 fatty acids must be of acceptable sensory quality. Is there any concern about stability of enriched eggs?

Consumer willingness to purchase n-3 fatty acid enriched eggs might be an indication that these eggs represent a viable means of increasing dietary intake of these fatty acids for health-conscious consumers. Eggs will continue to play an important role in the “changing face” of foods.

Designer eggs are expensive compared to regular eggs. It means that not all classes of a society can afford to buy these eggs.

What the industry has done to make these products available to a wider range of consumers? What is happening with designer eggs in your region? Is there any promising market for these products in your country?