TITLE:
An Updated Review on Chicken Eggs: Production, Consumption, Management Aspects and Nutritional Benefits to Human Health
AUTHORS:
Khalid Zaheer
KEYWORDS:
Chicken Eggs, Production, Consumption, Nutrient Manipulation, Egg Quality, Bioavailability, Health Benefits
JOURNAL NAME:
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
Vol.6 No.13,
October
16,
2015
ABSTRACT: Ancestors of the modern chicken were domesticated from members of the Gallus genus probably 7 to 8 thousand years ago in southeastern Asia. Subsequently, they spread globally for meat and egg production. In the chicken egg, there is a balance of numerous, high-quality nutrients, many of which are highly bioavailable. The egg confers a multitude of health benefits to consumers emphasizing its classification as a functional food. Current global per capita egg consumption estimates approach 9 kg annually but vary greatly on a regional basis. This review deals with global production, consumption, and management aspects such as hygiene, feeding, and housing. Management aspects play key roles in the composition, quality, food safety, and visual (consumer) appeal of the egg. Also the manipulation of egg nutrients and value for human health is discussed.