Repeatability estimates of egg weight and egg-shell weight under various production periods for Bovan Nera Black laying chicken

The Global Environmental Benefits of Halving Avoidable Consumer Food Waste

Avoidable consumer food waste (ACFW) is a global environmental issue wasting key resources and causing emissions, especially in high food-producing nations. We trace ACFW to its origin to assess emissions, water use, and land use. We show that ACFW impacts are dominated by commodities like beef, dairy, rice, and wheat. Over 80% of impacts are domestic, but impacts embodied in trade affect a few major food-producing countries under environmental pressure. A 50% reduction in ACFW could save up to 198 Mt CO2eq in emissions, 30 Gm3 of blue water, and 99 Mha of land. Targeting key commodities in impactful countries (e.g., US beef waste) could achieve significant benefits. Sparing wasted land and returning it to its potential natural vegetation could sequester 26 Gt CO2eq long-term (17-35 Gt CO2eq). Finally, while the 50% ACFW reduction lines up with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3b for the avoidable portion of food waste, a total of 276 Mt of unavoidable consumer food waste is also generated, which cannot be readily reduced. Achieving a 50% reduction in total food waste would require a 93% reduction in ACFW. Tracking the spatial impacts of ACFW can elucidate the concrete benefits of policies aiming at SDG 12.3b.

Effects of dietary supplementation with tea polyphenols and probiotics on laying performance, biochemical parameters intestinal morphology and microflora of laying hens

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of tea polyphenols (TP) and probiotics (PB) on the production performance, biochemical indices, and gut health of laying hens. A total of 400 Hy-line Brown layers (45 weeks old) were randomly assigned to 8 diet groups for 8-week feeding trial. Compared with the control basal diet (CT), dietary high dosage of TP and PB (HTP-PB) increased egg mass (P < 0.05). Supplementation with HTP-PB improved the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and decreased the malonic dialdehyde (MDA) content (P < 0.05) without affecting the contents of immunoglobulins in the serum. The combination of HTP and PB supplementation promoted the secretion of estradiol (E2) and progesterone (PROG) compared with treatment with TP or PB alone (P < 0.05). The combined use of HTP and PB induced higher jejunal villus height (VH) than the CT group (P < 0.05). Dietary TP and PB could optimize the functional network of intestinal microflora and the interactions between the intestinal microflora and the host. Therefore, the combined use of the high dosage of TP and PB affected laying performance, improved antioxidant capacity, and promoted intestinal health, which may be associated with regulation of the intestinal microbiota.

Progress of Bio-Calcium Carbonate Waste Eggshell and Seashell Fillers in Polymer Composites: A Review

Disposal of massive amounts of eggshells and seashells from processing industries is a challenge. In recent years, there has been a focus to reuse these waste resources in the production of new thermoplastic and thermoset polymer materials. This paper reviews eggshell and seashell production by country and provides a perspective on the quantity of bio-calcium carbonate that could be produced annually from these wastes. The achievements obtained from the addition of recycled bio-calcium carbonate fillers (uncoated/unmodified) in polymer composites with a focus on tensile strength, flexural strength and impact toughness are discussed. To improve compatibility between calcium carbonate (mineral and bio-based) fillers and polymers, studies on surface modifiers are reviewed. Knowledge gaps and future research and development thoughts are outlined. Developing novel and innovative composites for this waste material could bring additional revenue to egg and seafood processors and at the same time reduce any environmental impact.

Ball milling of eggshell waste as a green and sustainable approach: A review

Eggshell waste belongs to the most abundant natural waste in nature and is created in huge amounts by everyday consumption of eggs. The majority of this material is being discarded, despite the fact that it has multidisciplinary applications. In this review, the possibility of utilizing the method of ball milling to further broaden the application potential of this material is discussed. The particular application fields include the formation of nanophases, bioceramics synthesis, formation of composites and preparation of material with increased sorption ability. In addition, some other specific applications, like the utilization of ball-milled eggshell as a drug delivery agent, or for the formation of antibacterially active species, are also mentioned. The review provides a critical mechanochemical insight into this topic and aims to emphasize the green and sustainable way of utilizing eggshell waste by environmentally friendly method.