Elemental Profile in Chicken Egg Components and Associated Human Health Risk Assessment

Abstract

Egg is a food product of high nutritional quality, extensively consumed worldwide. The objectives of this study were the determination of the elemental profile in eggs (egg white, yolk, and eggshell), the estimation of the non-carcinogenic health risk associated with the presence of heavy metals in investigated egg samples, and the development of statistical models to identify the best predictors for the differentiation of egg components. The assessments were carried out in a total set of 210 samples, comprising home-produced and commercial eggs, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results suggested measurable differences amongst hen eggs coming from different husbandry systems. The statistical models employed in this study identified several elemental markers that can be used for discriminating between market and local producer samples. The non-carcinogenic risk related to the consumption of the analyzed egg samples was generally in the safe range for the consumers, below the maximum permitted levels set by Romanian and European legislation. Food contamination is a public health problem worldwide, and the risk associated with exposure to trace metals from food products has aroused widespread concern in human health, so assessing the heavy metal content in food products is mandatory to evaluate the health risk.

Backyard vs. barn eggs: differentiation and prediction models for two growing systems of hens based on isotopic, elemental, and fatty acid profiles of egg yolk

“…A rich corn-based diet represents an old tradition in Romania, for yard swine and chickens growing system(Cristea et al 2022;Dehelean et al 2022). These kinds of eggs are gained more and more popularity among consumers, and are very appreciated(Voica et al 2023). Chickens that are roaming the yard are pecking grass and bugs,…”