more orange yolk means less AMD blindness

2022.5.23: health/diet/egg/blindness/
more orange yolk means less AMD blindness:

summary:

. a yolk that is more orange (than yellow)

is likely to have more lutein and zeaxanthin

that reduces the risk of AMD blindness.

. organic eggs have rules about

the coloring additives added to chicken feed.

. if you are not certain about the quality

of the coloring in your egg,

you can supplement with zeaxanthin and lutein.

[eg, MacuGuard® Ocular Support with Saffron:

https://www.lifeextension.com/vitamins-supplements/item01992/macuguard-ocular-support-with-saffron

10 mg free lutein, 

4 mg meso-zeaxanthin & trans-zeaxanthin.]

. taking the supplement with yolk

might increase its bioavailability

because MacuGuard claims to use Phospholipids

in order to enhance lutein absorption,

and egg yolk contains Phospholipids.

[ Nutrients. 2015

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4425170/

Egg Phospholipids and Cardiovascular Health.

Christopher N. Blesso]

. people with the highest dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin

have a lower prevalence and incidence of 

age-related macular degeneration.

[ plos one 2014

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0092659

The Effect of Modified Eggs and an Egg-Yolk Based Beverage

on Serum Lutein and Zeaxanthin Concentrations

and Macular Pigment Optical Density: Results from a Randomized Trial.

Elton R. Kelly, et al.]

. Yolks with more orange color have more

xanthophylls, a large class that includes

zeaxanthin and lutein.

[ Poultry Science  July 2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579121001516

Biofortified orange corn increases xanthophyll density 

and yolk pigmentation in egg yolks from laying hens.

Darwin Ortiz, et al.]

. color additives are routinely used

in poultry feed formulations.

[ Animal feed science and technology 2020

https://pubag.nal.usda.gov/catalog/6757016

Poultry diets containing (keto)carotenoid-enriched maize

improve egg yolk color and maintain quality.

J.A. Moreno, et al]

. the European Union approved 9 carotenoids

as feed additives to color yolks,

including four artificial products.

[ Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition 2016

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081003718000142

Handbook on Natural Pigments in Food and Beverages

Industrial Applications for Improving Food Color:

14 - Feed Additives for Influencing Chicken Meat and Egg Yolk Color]

. for an egg to be certified organic,

the chicken feed coloring additives cannot include

saponified [soap-like] extracts of carotenoids

(carotenoids include both xanthophylls

and carotenes).

. organically produced marigold flower and spinach 

can increase the color of organic eggs.

[Food Chemistry July 2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814621028600

Egg yolk colour in organic production as affected by feeding 

– Consequences for farmers and consumers.

Angela Sündera, et al.]

Life Extension Super Omega-3 Plus [ad]

EPA/DHA With Sesame Lignans, Olive Extract, Krill and Astaxanthin