Mechanism and Potential of Egg Consumption and Egg Bioactive Components on Type-2 Diabetes

Ovalbumin Hydrolysates Enhance Skeletal Muscle Insulin-Dependent Signaling Pathway in High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice

Egg white hydrolysates (EWH) and ovotransferrin-derived peptides have distinct beneficial effects on glucose metabolism. This research aims to investigate whether ovalbumin hydrolysates (OVAHs), without ovotransferrin can improve insulin signaling pathway in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Two types of ovalbumin hydrolysates were produced, either using thermoase (OVAT), or thermoase + pepsin (OVATP). Both OVAHs-supplemented groups exhibited lower body weight gain (P < 0.001) and enhanced oral glucose tolerance (P < 0.05) compared with HFD. Moreover, diet supplementation with either hydrolysate increased the insulin-stimulated activation of protein kinase B (AKT) and insulin receptor β (IRβ) (P < 0.0001) in skeletal muscle. In conclusion, OVAHs improved glucose tolerance and insulin-dependent signaling pathway in HFD-fed mice.

Benefits of Mushroom-Based Supplements on Growth Performance, Immunocompetence, and Meat Quality in Poultry

The restriction on the use of antibiotics in poultry has led to an increase in the use of natural products that could serve as alternatives to antibiotics. Mushrooms contain bioactive compounds that exhibit antifungal, antiparasitic, antibacterial, antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic properties. Hence, they are being tested, revealing as performance-enhancing natural feed additives for livestock. This review focused on the role of different species of mushrooms commonly used in poultry on the performance, immunomodulatory actions, cholesterolemic properties, and meat quality of poultry birds. Different studies reviewed show that mushrooms could positively impact poultry production, improve growth performance, modulate immune response, exert tissue antioxidant activity, influence intestinal morphology, enhance gut microbiome, and improve lipid profile. The variations in their efficacy could be attributed to the variations in physicochemical properties of different species and dosage levels applied in the experiments. However, the use of mushrooms as a natural product supplement is in its infancy, and more basic, pilot and large-scale research is required to make it a viable approach for improving immune responses in the poultry industry.

Eggs - a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and cancer are a significant public health burden in the Nordic and Baltic countries. High intake of eggs, mainly due to its high cholesterol content, has been suggested to have adverse health effects. The purpose of this scoping review is to describe the evidence related to the impact of egg intake on health. A literature search identified 38 systematic reviews and meta-analyses on egg consumption in relation to health outcomes published between 2011 and 30 April 2022. Overall, current evidence from systematic reviews of randomized clinical trials indicates that higher egg intake may increase serum total cholesterol concentration and the ratio of low-density lipoprotein to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but with substantial heterogeneity in the response. However, recent evidence from observational studies does not provide strong support for a detrimental role of moderate egg consumption (up to one egg/day) on the risk of CVD, especially in the European studies. The overall evidence from observational studies indicates that egg consumption is not associated with increased risk of mortality or T2D in European study populations. There is also little support for a role of egg consumption in cancer development, although a weak association with higher risk of certain cancers has been found in some studies, mainly case-control studies. Again, no associations with cancer risk have been observed in European studies. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of egg consumption in relation to other health-related outcomes are scarce. There are also limited data available on the associations between the consumption of more than one egg/day and risk of diseases. Based on the available evidence, one egg/day is unlikely to adversely affect overall disease risk.

Non-Destructive Classification of Organic and Conventional Hens' Eggs Using Near-Infrared Hyperspectral Imaging

Eggs that are produced using organic methods retail at higher prices than those produced using conventional methods, but they cannot be differentiated reliably using visual methods. Eggs can therefore be fraudulently mislabeled in order to increase their wholesale and retail prices. The objective of this research was therefore to test near-infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) to identify whether an egg has been produced using organic or conventional methods. A total of 210 organic and 210 conventional fresh eggs were individually scanned using NIR-HSI to obtain absorbance spectra for discrimination analysis. The physical properties of each egg were also measured non-destructively in order to analyze the performance of discrimination compared with those of the NIR-HSI spectral data. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed variation for PC1 and PC2 of 57% and 23% and 94% and 4% based on physical properties and the spectral data, respectively. The best results of the classification using NIR-HSI spectral data obtained an accuracy of 96.03% and an error rate of 3.97% via partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), indicating the possibility that NIR-HSI could be successfully used to rapidly, reliably, and non-destructively differentiate between eggs that had been produced using organic methods from eggs that had been produced using conventional methods.

Frequency of Egg Intake Associated with Mortality in Chinese Adults: An 8-Year Nationwide Cohort Study

Whether egg consumption plays a beneficial/detrimental role in affecting human health and longevity has been debated for decades. Large-scale cohort evidence from low- and middle-income populations are scarce. In this study, we aimed to assess the association of egg consumption with mortality in Chinese adults. A nationwide cohort of 30,835 participants ages 16-110 years were enrolled from 25 provincial regions in China's mainland. Dietary intake (e.g., egg, meat, vegetable) was assessed by a food-frequency questionnaire. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine associations between egg consumption and mortality, adjusting for demographic characteristics, dietary factors and health status. Dose-response relationships were investigated using the smoothing function of restricted cubic splines. Several subgroup analyses were performed. A total of 1651 all-cause deaths occurred during a median follow-up of 8.1 years. Egg consumption was associated with lower risks of mortality, with the lowest risk occurring in the group of moderate egg intake (3-6 times/week). Compared with non-consumers, the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for mortality were 0.84 (0.72-0.97) for 3-6 times/week and 0.82 (0.69-0.98) for ≥7 times/week, whereas no significant associations were observed among the lower egg intake group (1-2/week). An approximately inverted J-shaped association was observed in three models, while restricting our analysis in the multivariable model (model 3) did not identify a significant violation for the linear relationship (p for nonlinear = 0.122). There were no statistically significant effect modifications in the subgroup analyses. Egg consumption may be associated with lower risks of mortality in Chinese adults. Our findings found moderate-to-high egg consumption might be beneficial for improving long-term health and longevity.

Advanced Practical Strategies to Enhance Table Egg Production

The global demand for table eggs has increased exponentially due to the growing human population. To meet this demand, major advances in hen genetics, nutrition, and husbandry procedures are required. Developing cost-effective and practically applicable strategies to improve egg production and quality is necessary for the development of egg industry worldwide. Consumers have shown a strong desire regarding the improvement of hens' welfare and egg quality. They also become interested in functional and designer foods. Modifications in the nutritional composition of laying hen diets significantly impact egg nutritional composition and quality preservation. According to previous scientific research, enriched egg products can benefit human health. However, producers are facing a serious challenge in optimizing breeding, housing, and dietary strategies to ensure hen health and high product quality. This review discussed several practical strategies to increase egg production, quality, and hens' welfare. These practical strategies can potentially be used in layer farms for sustainable egg production. One of these strategies is the transition from conventional to enriched or cage-free production systems, thereby improving bird behavior and welfare. In addition, widely use of plant/herbal substances as dietary supplements in layers' diets positively impacts hens' physiological, productive, reproductive, and immunological performances.

The association of egg consumption with blood pressure levels and glycated hemoglobin in Spanish adults according to body mass index

The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of egg consumption with blood pressure (BP) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). In addition, it was assessed whether this association changes according to body weight status. This cross-sectional study is based on multicenter data from Spanish adult participants in the EVIDENT II trial. Egg consumption was assessed with a Food Frequency Questionnaire, and data on BP and HbA1c were collected using standardized procedures. Linear regression and ANCOVA models adjusted for the main confounders were performed. The analyses were stratified by body weight status. A total of 668 participants were analyzed (mean age 52.4 ± 11.8 years, 62.3% women). Compared with lower consumption, higher egg consumption was associated with lower systolic (ß =  - 6.15 ± 1.74; p-for-trend = 0.017), diastolic (ß =  - 4.41 ± 1.03; p-for-trend = 0.002), and mean arterial pressure (ß =  - 4.99 ± 1.17; p-for-trend = 0.003) and with lower HbA1c (ß =  - 0.19 ± 0.06; p-for-trend = 0.019) levels. These associations lost statistical significance in the adjusted analyses. The results did not vary by body weight status. In conclusion, consumption of up to 1 egg per day is not associated with BP or HbA1c, even in overweight or obese individuals. Our findings suggested that this frequency of egg consumption is safe as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle for cardiometabolic risk.

Food purchases in households with and without diabetes based on consumer purchase data

OBJECTIVES

Dietary recommendations for individuals with diabetes are easy to provide, but adherence is difficult to monitor. The objective of this study was to investigate whether there was a difference in grocery purchases between households with and without diabetes.

STUDY DESIGN

Cohort study.

METHODS

Consumer purchase data in 2019 was collected from 6662 households donating their supermarket receipts via a receipt collecting service. Of these households, 718 included at least one individual with diabetes. The monetary percentages spent on specific food groups were used to characterize households using all purchases in 2019. A probability index model was used to compare households with diabetes to households without diabetes.

RESULTS

We included 405,264 shopping trips in 2019 attributed to 6662 households. Both households with and without diabetes spent the highest monetary percentage on sweets (with diabetes: 9.3%, without diabetes: 8.8%), with no statistically significant difference detected. However, compared to households without diabetes, households with diabetes had a significantly higher probability of spending a higher monetary percentage on butter, oil and dressings; non-sugary drinks; processed red meat and ready meals as well as a significantly lower probability of spending a higher monetary percentage on accessory compounds; alcoholic beverages; eggs; grains; rice and pasta, and raw vegetables.

CONCLUSIONS

Households with diabetes spent a relatively higher monetary value on several unhealthy foods and less on several healthy groceries compared to households without diabetes. There is a need for more diabetes self-management education focused on including more healthy dietary choices in their household grocery purchases.

Conventional use and sustainable valorization of spent egg-laying hens as functional foods and biomaterials: A review

Spent hen are egg-laying hens reaching the end of their laying cycles; billions of spent hens are produced globally each year. Differences in people's attitudes towards spent hen as foods lead to their different fates among countries. While spent hens are consumed as raw or processed meat products in Asian countries such as China, India, Korea, and Thailand, they are treated as a byproduct or waste, not a food product, in the western society; they are instead disposed by burial, incineration, composting (as fertilizers), or rendering into animal feed and pet food, which either create little market value or cause animal welfare and environmental concerns. Despite being a waste, spent hen is a rich source of animal proteins and lipids, which are suitable starting materials for developing valorized products. This review discussed the conventional uses of spent hens, including food, animal feed, pet food, and compost, and the emerging uses, including biomaterials and functional food ingredients. These recent advances enable more sustainable utilization of spent hen, contributing to alternative solutions to its disposal while yielding residual value to the egg industry. Future research will continue to focus on the conversion of spent hen biomass into value-added products.

Graphical abstract

Sources, chemical synthesis, functional improvement and applications of food-derived protein/peptide-saccharide covalent conjugates: a review

Proteins/peptides and saccharides are two kinds of bioactive substances in nature. Recently, increasing attention has been paid in understanding and utilizing covalent interactions between proteins/peptides and saccharides. The products obtained through covalent conjugation of proteins/peptides to saccharides are shown to have enhanced functional attributes, such as better gelling property, thermostability, and water-holding capacity. Additionally, food-derived protein/peptide-saccharide covalent conjugates (PSCCs) also have biological activities, such as antibacterial, antidiabetic, anti-osteoporosis, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, immune regulatory, and other activities that are widely used in the functional food industry. Moreover, PSCCs can be used as packaging or delivery materials to improve the bioavailability of bioactive substances, which expands the development of food-derived protein and saccharide resources. Thus, this review was aimed to first summarize the current status of sources, classification structures of natural PSCCs. Second, the methods of chemical synthesis, reaction conditions, characterization and reagent formulations that improve the desired functional characteristics of food-derived PSCCs were introduced. Third, functional properties such as emulsion, edible films/coatings, and delivery of active substance, bio-activities such as antioxidant, anti-osteoporosis, antidiabetic, antimicrobial of food-derived PSCCs were extensively discussed.

Egg Consumption in the Context of Plant-Based Diets and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Adults at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

BACKGROUND

Plant-based diets (PBDs) are typically recommended to those at risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

OBJECTIVES

We examined how including eggs, compared with excluding them from PBDs, affected cardiometabolic risk factors in adults at risk of T2DM.

METHODS

This was a randomized, controlled, single-blind, crossover trial of 35 adults (mean age: 60.7 y; 25 women, 10 men) at risk of T2DM assigned to 1 of 2 sequence permutations of 2 dietary treatments (plant-based plus eggs, and exclusively plant-based), with a 4-wk washout period. A dietitian counseled participants to exclude or include 2 eggs daily in the context of PBDs for a 6-wk interval. Our primary outcome measure was endothelial function (EF) measured as flow-mediated dilatation. Secondary outcome measures included lipid profile, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, anthropometry, and dietary intake. Data were analyzed using generalized linear models.

RESULTS

Compared with egg exclusion, egg inclusion in the context of PBDs did not adversely affect EF (-1.7% ± 6.5% compared with -1.8% ± 7.5%; P = 0.9805). Likewise, egg inclusion, compared with egg exclusion, did not adversely affect (P = 0.1096-0.9781) lipid profile, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, or anthropometry. Egg inclusion, compared with egg exclusion, improved reported intakes of selenium (23.1 ± 30.3 μg/d compared with 2.3 ± 34.9 μg/d; P = 0.0124) and choline (172.0 ± 96.0 mg/d compared with -3.4 ± 68.1 mg/d; P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Consuming 2 eggs daily in the context of PBDs does not adversely affect cardiometabolic risk factors among adults at risk of T2DM. Eggs could be used as an adjuvant to enhance PBDs that are typically recommended for those at risk of T2DM.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04316429.

Whole egg consumption and cognitive function among US older adults

BACKGROUND

Eggs are an affordable food providing many shortfall nutrients with the potential to improve cognitive health. We assessed the relationship between whole egg consumption and cognitive functioning among a US nationally representative sample of older adults.

METHODS

Individual-level data (2816 adults, aged ≥ 60 years) were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 waves. Cognitive assessments included the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Word List Learning Test (CERAD-WL), Word List Recall Test (CERAD-DR), Animal Fluency Test (AF) and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). A composite cognitive z-score was constructed based on the individual tests to represent one's overall cognitive functioning. Multiple linear and logistic regressions were performed to examine the effect of whole egg consumption on cognitive functioning, adjusting for individual characteristics and survey design.

RESULTS

Approximately 57% of older adults consumed whole eggs, with an average daily intake of 34 g of whole egg equivalent among consumers. The average z-scores of the CERAD-WL, CERAD-DR, AF and DSST tests were -0.08, 0.23, 0.37 and 0.42, respectively, and the overall composite cognitive z-score was 0.24 among older adults. Regression analyses found that neither whole egg consumption status, nor daily intake quantity was associated with cognitive test scores.

CONCLUSIONS

No association was found between whole egg consumption and cognitive functioning among US older adults. Study limitations included cross-sectional study design and measurement errors. Future studies with longitudinal or experimental design are warranted to examine the possible link between egg consumption and cognition in older adults.

Egg consumption and health effects: A narrative review

This study was planned and conducted to investigate the effects of egg consumption on metabolic syndrome components and potential mechanisms of action on humans. Egg, an important source of animal protein, is defined as a functional food containing various bioactive compounds that can affect the proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory pathways. As a matter of fact, the egg can show immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, or antihypertensive effects with its bioactive components. It is claimed that egg consumption may protect individuals against metabolic syndrome by increasing HDL-C levels and reducing inflammation. The increase in egg consumption creates the perception that it may lead to cardiovascular diseases due to its cholesterol content. However, there is insufficient evidence as to whether dietary cholesterol-lowers LDL-C. The possible potential mechanisms of egg impact on human health, MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Central, www.ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and selected websites including) and databases were examined in this regard. With a view to delving into the rather mysterious relationship between egg cholesterol and blood cholesterol, it is necessary to understand the absorption of cholesterol from the egg and to know the functioning of the intestinal microbiota. Studies conducted to date have generally yielded inconsistent results regarding egg consumption and risks of CVD, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

Egg consumption associated with all-cause mortality in rural China: a 14-year follow-up study

BACKGROUND

Dietary recommendations regarding egg intake remain controversial topic for public health. We hypothesized that there was a positive association between egg consumption and all-cause mortality.

METHODS

To test this hypothesis, we enrolled 9885 adults from a community-based cohort in Anhui Province, China during 2003-05. Egg consumption was assessed by food questionnaire. Stratified analyses were performed for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, smoking, drinking and laboratory tests.

RESULTS

After an average follow-up of 14.1 years, 9444 participants were included for analysis. A total of 814 deaths were recorded. Participants' BMI and lipid profile had no significantly difference between three egg consumption groups. BMI was 21.6±2.7 of the whole population, especially BMI>24 was only 17.3%. A bivariate association of egg consumption >6/week with increased all-cause mortality was observed compared with ≤6/week (RR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.73, P = 0.018). A significant interaction was observed for BMI ≥ 21.2 kg/m2 vs. BMI<21.2 kg/m2 (P for interaction: 0.001). No other significant interactions were found.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, consuming >6 eggs/week increased risk of all-cause mortality, even among lean participants, especially who with BMI ≥ 21.2 kg/m2. Eggs are an easily accessible and constitute an affordable food source in underdeveloped regions. Consuming <6 eggs/week may be the most suitable intake mode.

Egg White Protein Feeding Facilitates Skeletal Muscle Gain in Young Rats with/without Clenbuterol Treatment

Based on the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS), egg white protein (EGG) has an excellent score, comparable to that of whey protein but with a lower amount of leucine. We examined the effect of EGG feeding on rat skeletal muscle gain in comparison to that of two common animal-derived protein sources: casein (CAS) and whey (WHE). To explore the full potential of EGG, this was examined in clenbuterol-treated young rats. Furthermore, we focused on leucine-associated anabolic signaling in response to EGG after single-dose ingestion and chronic ingestion, as well as clenbuterol treatment. Because EGG is an arginine-rich protein source, a portion of the experiment was repeated with diets containing equal amounts of arginine. We demonstrated that EGG feeding accelerates skeletal muscle gain under anabolism-dominant conditions more efficiently than CAS and WHE and this stronger effect with EGG is not dependent on the arginine-rich composition of the protein source. We also demonstrated that the plausible mechanism of the stronger muscle-gain effect with EGG is not detectable in the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) or insulin signaling under our experimental conditions. We conclude that EGG may have a superior efficiency in muscle gain compared to other common animal-based proteins.

Eggs as an affordable source of nutrients for adults and children living in food-insecure environments

Food insecurity affects an estimated 12% of households in the United States. Adults and children who experience food insecurity are increased risk for development of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. The negative health outcomes associated with food insecurity are multifactorial; however, many of them may be caused by limited nutritional intake and poor diet quality. Dietary intake of eggs may be an applicable solution for food-insecure families who are challenged by limited nutritional intake. Eggs contain a variety of nutrients that support metabolic health. For instance, eggs are a complete source of high-quality protein and contain 16 vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, eggs are cost efficient. When comparing the relationship between foods on the basis of calories and unit cost, the energy cost of eggs is significantly less when compared with that of other animal-protein foods such as meat, poultry, and fish. However, dietary intake of eggs is controversial in regard to cardiovascular health. Thus, the aim of this review is to summarize the role of eggs in the diet and the impact eggs have on health for adults and children living in a food-insecure environment.

Replacing Red Meat with Other Nonmeat Food Sources of Protein is Associated with a Reduced Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in a Danish Cohort of Middle-Aged Adults

BACKGROUND

Few cohort studies have modelled replacements of red meat with other sources of protein on subsequent risk of type 2 diabetes using dietary changes.

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether replacing red meat with other food sources of protein is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

We used data from the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health cohort (n = 39,437) of middle-aged (55-72 years old) men and women who underwent 2 dietary assessments roughly 5 years apart to investigate dietary changes. The pseudo-observation method was used to model the average exposure effect of decreasing the intake of red meat while increasing the intake of either poultry, fish, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, whole grains, or refined grains on the subsequent 10-year risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared with no changes in the intakes of these foods.

RESULTS

Replacing 1 serving/day (100 g/day) of red meat with 1 serving/day of eggs [risk difference (RD), -2.7%; 95% CI: -4.0 to -1.1%; serving size: 50 g/day], milk (RD, -1.2%; 95% CI: -2.1 to -0.4%; 200 g/day), yogurt (RD, -1.5%; 95% CI: -2.4 to -0.7%; 70 g/day), whole grains (RD, -1.7%; 95% CI: -2.5 to -0.9%; 30 g/day), or refined grains (RD, -1.2%; 95% CI: -2.0 to -0.3%; 30 g/day) was associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Analyses of replacements with poultry or cheese, but not fish, also suggested a lower risk, but with wide CIs. After further adjustment for potential mediators (BMI, waist circumference, and history of hypertension or hypercholesterolemia), only the replacement with eggs was associated with a reduced risk (RD, -1.7%; 95% CI: -3.0 to -0.5%; 50 g/day).

CONCLUSIONS

Replacing red meat with eggs in middle-aged adults may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. In models not adjusted for potential mediators, replacing red meat with milk, yogurt, whole grains, or refined grains was also associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

Nutritional Viewpoints on Eggs and Cholesterol

Although most current epidemiologic studies indicate no significant association between consuming one egg daily and blood cholesterol levels and cardiovascular risk, arguments still persist with a positive association. Since the diet is one of the most influential factors for this association, we illustrate characteristic features in Japanese people whose dietary pattern is distinct from that, for example, the US (United States) population. Available epidemiologic studies in healthy Japanese people show no association between consumption of one egg daily and blood cholesterol level, consistent with those observed in the US population. However, when consumption of major nutrients and food sources of cholesterol are compared to the US population, Japanese people may have an extra-reserve against the influence of eggs on cardiovascular risk markers, despite consuming relatively more eggs. Further discussion on the influence of nutrients contained in the egg and dietary pattern, including interaction with gut microbes, is necessary. In addition, special consideration at the personalized level is needed for judgment regarding dietary cholesterol not only for hypercholesterolemic patients but for hyper-responsive healthy persons. Although randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-up are required to evaluate the association between consumption of eggs and human health, available information, at least from the nutritional viewpoint, suggests that egg is a healthy and cost-efficient food worldwide.

Egg, cholesterol and protein intake and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus: Results of repeated measurements from a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Epidemiological evidence on the associations of egg, cholesterol and protein intake with risk of type 2 diabetes is inconsistent. Therefore, we conducted this study to explore these associations among Chinese adults.

METHODS

Data from 4 waves (2004, 2006, 2009 and 2011) of the China Health and Nutrition Survey were used. A multistage random-cluster sampling method was employed to recruit the participants in both rural and urban areas. We included individuals who participated in 2004 and any waves afterwards. Those 1) below 18 years of age; 2) with diabetes at baseline; or 3) with extreme energy intake (men: <800 kcal or >6000 kcal; women: <600 kcal or >4000 kcal) were excluded. Respondents were classified into four groups according to quartiles of egg, cholesterol and protein intake per day. Numbers of eggs per day were calculated by dividing egg intake in grams by 50 g. Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes was self-reported. Logistic generalized estimation equation models were employed.

RESULTS

There were 7312 individuals included in 2004, 6390 in 2006, 4826 in 2009 and 4963 in 2011. The mean age of participants at baseline was 48.3 years and 47.2% were men. Over an average of 5.8-y follow-up, 209 developed type 2 diabetes. After adjustment for demographic, lifestyle and dietary confounders, the odds ratio of type 2 diabetes for those in the highest compared with the lowest protein intake quartile was 2.38 (95% CI: 1.43, 3.98). The odds ratio of individuals with ≥3 eggs/day versus none was 3.76 (95% CI, 2.05, 6.90). Cholesterol intake was not associated with type 2 diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with the highest protein intake had over a 2-fold increased risk of type 2 diabetes compared with those with the lowest protein intake. A high intake of egg, but not dietary cholesterol, was associated with type 2 diabetes. This association warrants further investigation.

Interactive associations of the INAFM2 rs67839313 variant and egg consumption with type 2 diabetes mellitus and fasting blood glucose in a Chinese population: A family-based study

BACKGROUND

INAFM2 rs67839313 was associated with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in Japanese populations but not in other populations. We aimed to validate the association of rs67839313 with T2DM and explore interactive associations of INAFM2 rs67839313 and egg consumption with T2DM and fasting blood glucose (FBG) in a Chinese population.

METHODS

In total, 7175 participants (4202 T2DM cases) from 3980 families were included and categorized into two groups (<4 and ≥4 eggs/week) according to the median egg consumption. Multilevel logistic regression and linear regression models were performed to estimate the genetic associations of rs67839313 with T2DM and FBG, respectively. The crossproduct term between the variant and egg was included in the models for interaction analysis.

RESULTS

We found that rs67839313_T was associated with an increased risk of T2DM (1.22 [95% CI: 1.17-1.27], P < 0.001). Among individuals with the rs67839313_T genotype, those with egg consumption <4/week (1.37 [1.25-1.51]) had a higher T2DM risk than those with egg consumption ≥4/week (1.17 [1.11-1.23]). A significant interactive effect between rs67839313_T and egg consumption on T2DM risk was identified (P = 0.008). Moreover, among participants without T2DM, rs67839313_T was associated with FBG, with a 0.188 mmol/l increase and a 0.152 mmol/l decrease among those consuming <4 eggs/week and ≥4 eggs/week, respectively. The interaction between rs67839313_T and egg consumption was observed to be significantly associated with FBG (P = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

INAFM2 rs67839313_T was associated with increased T2DM risk and FBG levels in Chinese individuals, and consuming more eggs may eliminate the associated genetic risk. This finding has important implications for understanding the genetic pathogenesis of T2DM and for the precision nutrition management of T2DM.

Specific gene SEN1393 contributes to higher survivability of Salmonella Enteritidis in egg white by regulating sulfate assimilation pathway

Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) presents an excellent capacity to survive in egg white, which is a hostile environment for bacterial growth. To reveal its survival mechanism, this study focuses on the specific gene SEN1393, which has been found to exist only in the genomic sequence of S. Enteritidis. The survival capacity of the deletion mutant strain ΔSEN1393 was proven to be significantly reduced after incubation in egg white. RNA sequencing and RT-qPCR results demonstrate that the expression levels of 19 genes were up-regulated, while the expression levels of 9 genes were down-regulated in egg white. These genes were classified into 6 groups based on their functional categories, namely the sulfate assimilation pathway, arginine biosynthesis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, the fimbrial protein, the transport and chelation of metal ion, and others (sctT, rhs, and pspG). The strain ΔSEN1393 was deduced to damage FeS cluster enzymes and increase the sulfate and iron requirements, and to reduce bacterial motility and copper homeostasis. Via InterProScan analysis, the gene SEN1393 was speculated to encode a TerB-like and/or DjlA-like protein, and therefore, together with cysJ, possibly reduced the oxidative toxicities resulting from oxyanions such as tellurite, and/or improved CysPUWA conformation to restrain the uptake of the toxic oxyanions. In summary, the gene SEN1393 enabled the higher survival of S. Enteritidis in egg white as compared to other pathogens by regulating the sulfate assimilation pathway.

Deciphering the Riddles in Nutrition and Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is the leading global cause of death in Western countries, and its development is largely associated with unhealthy dietary patterns. A large body of scientific evidence has reported that nutrition might be the most preventive factor of cardiovascular disease death and could even reverse heart disease. Processes of chronic inflammation and oxidative distress share triggers that are modifiable by nutrition. This review aimed to identify potential targets (food patterns, single foods or individual nutrients) for cardiovascular disease prevention, and analyse the mechanisms implicated in their cardioprotective effects.