3 proven ways to increase Vitamin D in eggs

Created July 2020

Naturally enhanced eggs as a source of vitamin D: A review

Trends in Food Science & Technology, Volume 102, August 2020, Pages 62-70, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2020.05.018

LundbækBarnkobaAikateriniArgyrakibJetteJakobsena

Highlights

  • Three methods to produce eggs naturally enhanced with vitamin D was reviewed.

  • There is a linear inter-trial relationship between vitamin D3 in feed and vitamin D3 content in egg.

  • Feed is superior to UVB irradiation in regards to vitamin D enhancement in eggs.

  • Egg yolk can be vitamin D enhanced by direct exposure to UVB radiation.

  • Naturally enhanced eggs can contribute to increased vitamin D intake in the general population.

Adding Vitamin D to chickens has been know to improve chickens, meat, eggs, taste, etc. But for some reason, restoring the vitamin D levels of the chickens back to what they had been when outdoors is not permitted * Feed chicken lots of vitamin D, get 6000 IU per egg with no change in production – Nov 2013 * Chicken bones, eggs, and activated vitamin D in eggs increased with 2 hours of daily UVB – Dec 2019 * Vitamin D in eggs increased 4X after UV lighting near legs was added – April 2019 * Hens with Vitamin D were better in at least 5 ways – RCT Aug 2018 * In less than 3 weeks chickens have problems if they do not have vitamin D * Hens fed a form of vitamin D had more hatchable eggs and more immune chicks – March 2015 * Increasing Vitamin D to chickens should reduce incidence of bird flu * UVB on legs of chickens resulted in 70 IU vitamin D per egg yoke – July 2013 * 200 IU per 100 gram of egg yoke when add vitamin D to poultry feed in Europe – Aug 2011 1. Fortification with Vitamin D {include}

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Background

It is estimated that on annual basis 40% of the European population is either vitamin D insufficient/deficient. A way to increase the vitamin D intake is to fortify a broader range of foods or by increasing the natural vitamin D content in food sources that already contain vitamin D. Eggs is once again considered part of a healthy varied diet and eggs contain a wide range of micro nutrients including vitamin D.

Scope and approach

Review of production methods to naturally enhance eggs with vitamin D, and discussion of the perspectives of vitamin D enhanced eggs as part of the strategy to increase the dietary intake of vitamin D.

Key findings and conclusions

There are three ways to naturally enhance the vitamin D content in eggs: feeding more vitamin D3/25(OH)D3 to the hens, exposing the hens to UVB and exposing liquid egg products to UVB. Naturally enhanced eggs can contribute to increased vitamin D intake. An inter-trial linear relationship between vitamin D3 in feed and vitamin D3 in eggs was found. Within the linear range a maximum of 20 μg/100 g yolk was obtained with feed contain 617.5 μg/kg feed. Feed can provide higher levels of vitamin D in eggs than UVB exposure of the hens. However, the European maximum for vitamin D in feed for layers at 80 μg/kg limits the beneficial effect. Vitamin D content in liquid egg products can be tailored by adjusting the UVB dose, however further research is needed.

Tags: Fortification Veterinary