Poultry International - April 2018 - 10
10 ❙ PoultryInternational Eggs provide poverty alleviation in developing countries Eggs offer a lot more than simply a source of protein; they can play a role in child development and poverty alleviation. DR VICENT GUYONNET On a visit to Zambia in 2011, I came upon an egg carton that summarized perfectly what eggs are - and can be - in terms of human nutrition. The carton's very simple tag line - "Protein for the nation" - was spot on in a country where 54 percent of the population lives below the national poverty line (US$1.90/day) and 40 percent of children under age five have stunted growth, according to Vincent Guyonnet data from the World Bank Group and World Health Organization. Simonga Farm, which produced the eggs and is located near Livingstone, Zambia, along the mighty Zambezi river, right above Victoria Falls, had identified the true potential of eggs well before some of the most promising research on egg nutrition and stunting reduction in children was even conducted. It was only in 2017 that Dr. Lora Iannotti published a study showing that the daily consumption of one egg for a six-month period by young children (6-9 months) in Ecuador significantly reduced the prevalence of stunting by 47 percent and underweight by 74 percent. Value of egg protein Why are eggs such a great source of proteins? Let's go over a few reasons - some nutritional, some environmental and others societal. Eggs can play a particularly important role in meeting nutritional needs where access to food and affordability are an issue. Dr. Vincent Guyonnet The quality of proteins is based on their amino acid composition and digestibility. Eggs provide the best profile for essential amino acids, small protein-building blocks which humans cannot synthesize and must find in their diets. Combined with a digestibility of 98 percent, eggs have the highest biological value of any single food protein, a testimony of how efficiently these egg proteins, after absorption, are able to convert into body tissues. One 50-gram egg (edible portion) is able to meet more than 50 percent of the recommended daily intake for protein in young infants (7-12 months) and more than 30 percent in children age 4-8. No wonder eggs can reduce stunting. Refrigerated eggs versus shelves: Is one method safer? www.WATTAgNet.com/articles/32905 www.WATTAgNet.com ❙ April 2018