Grant: Alliance Grants

Research has shown that polyphenol consumption may play a vital role in health by regulating metabolism, weight, and chronic diseases. High polyphenol intake has been associated with a 30% reduction in mortality in older adults. However, there is limited consumption of polyphenols in conventional Western diets. Eggs are a principal food item for human consumption, and an average Canadian consumes about 242 eggs per year. Enrichment of highly consumed, readily available, and relatively inexpensive table eggs with polyphenolic substances would offer a tremendous opportunity for humans to consume polyphenols along with their regular diets and, at the same time, boost the health and welfare of laying hens through the beneficial attributes of dietary polyphenols. Significant research has been conducted to enrich table eggs with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). However, research investigating the development of polyphenol-enriched eggs is rare. Moreover, PUFAs are highly susceptible to lipid oxidation, making PUFA-enriched eggs more perishable and having reduced shelf life. Polyphenol supplementation can be a strategy to extend the shelf life of PUFA-enriched eggs by reducing lipid peroxidation. The objective of this work is to investigate the egg enrichment capacity of two polyphenol-rich plant products - red osier dogwood extract (a refined plant extract containing a high concentration of phenolic compounds that surpass those of common medicinal plants) and grape pomace (a downstream plant product from wine and juice production), their ability to improve the health of laying hens through dietary supplementation, and to improve the shelf life of PUFA enriched eggs. The project offers sustainable long-term economic benefits through the use of plant products to advance human health by developing polyphenol-enriched eggs and animal health by dietary supplementation. Additional benefits relating to reducing greenhouse gases in egg production, reducing food waste, and improving environmental sustainability by preventing the ecological burden currently caused by the disposal of grape pomace will be realized, leading to social and economic benefits.