Super eggs production – the influence of feed modification on designer egg composition

Chicken eggs are considered a superfood due to their rich nutritional value, including amino acids, essential fats, vitamins, and minerals, while also being affordable and versatile in cooking. Designed eggs, enhanced further through nutrient improvements, become “super eggs.” Recent studies highlight feed modification, which is more complex than feed supplementation, as the most effective method for enriching eggs; apart from supplementation also includes the use of blends of seeds and grains, post-extraction meals, natural extracts, and oils. This review explores trends in modifying egg nutrient content by adjusting the chicken’s diet to improve fatty acids, vitamins, proteins, minerals, antioxidants, and pigments important for human health. It is challenging to achieve a sufficiently significant level of modification and produce eggs that can be marked as a source of a given nutrient (polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins) or as having a reduced content of unfavorable ingredients (such as cholesterol). Important aspects of egg modulation include feed costs, consumer acceptance of the product, and sustainability. Although there has been extensive research into egg fortification over the years, most studies have focused on single nutrients, and there is limited research on the bioavailability of nutrients from these designer eggs.