(OR24-06-24) Bioavailability of DHA From Bioenhanced Eggs Is Greater Than That Observed From Bioenhanced Poultry in Healthy Adults

Objectives: Dietary intake of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) is suboptimal in the US. Biofortified foods provide an opportunity to increase intake of this nutrient. To address this, a cross-over design was used to evaluate the plasma bioavailability of DHA from bioenhanced poultry products (chicken and eggs) compared to absorption of a comparable amount of supplemental DHA.

Methods: Healthy, non-obese volunteers (N=31, 16M/15F), age 18-22 y, were assigned to ingest a standardized breakfast containing bioenhanced poultry meat (containing 155 mg DHA, n=16, 8M/8F), or the same breakfast containing bioenhanced egg (containing 178mg DHA, n=15, 8M/7F). Bioenhanced poultry products were obtained by adding microalgae to the poultry diet. Each participant also ingested the same breakfast with non-enhanced chicken or egg along with a DHA supplement (170mg). Meals were fed in random order with a 2-week washout period between studies. Blood samples were collected at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8-h post-test food consumption for analysis of plasma DHA and fatty acids. Baseline dietary intake was evaluated from DHQIII.

Results: Mean DHA intake in these participants was 100 ± 0.1 mg/day, a value that was 60% lower than the recommended 250 mg intake. Baseline DHA intake did not significantly differ between the Chicken and Egg groups. A 170mg DHA supplement ingested with either the chicken or egg meal acutely increased plasma DHA by 4.3 ± 3.7 ug/ml (P < .01) by 8-h post-dosing. Significant increases in DHA at t=8-h (4.8 ± 3.9 ug/mL; P< .0001) were also observed following consumption of the bioenhanced egg meal. In contrast, no significant increase in plasma DHA was observed in the DHA enhanced chicken group at t=8-h.

Conclusions: A single serving of bioenhanced chicken or egg brought daily DHA intake to levels recommended by the 2023 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Plasma increase in DHA was significantly greater following intake of bioenhanced egg compared to bioenhanced poultry meat. Longer term feeding studies are needed to evaluate the impact of these bioenhanced foods on longer term indices of DHA status such as the omega-3 index. These results highlight the role of food fortification in addressing nutritional deficiencies through an accessible protein source.

Funding Sources: USDA 2019-67021-29945