Estimated omega-3 fatty acid intake from eggs in China, in comparison to that in the United States

Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), are widely recognized as beneficial to human health, playing an important role in brain and retina development and prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Their intake is often effectively estimated solely based on seafood consumption. Our recent research has found that, besides seafood, eggs are a type of terrestrial animal-based food that contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA. In the United States, conventional eggs contain 2.06±0.26% DHA of total fatty acids, whereas organic eggs exhibit nearly double the DHA content and a significant increase in ALA (3.54±0.44% of total fatty acids), potentially attributed to ALA-rich poultry feed, such as flaxseed, utilized in their production.

To confirm this observation, we further sampled three types of eggs from China: conventional, free-range, and omega-3 enriched eggs (supplemented with either ALA-rich flaxseed or DHA/EPA-rich spirulina). We employed an identical method for fatty acid quantitation in both Chinese and American eggs. Omega-3 enriched eggs showed comparable levels of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids to conventional and free-range eggs, but had significantly higher omega-3 LCPUFA levels, including DHA, EPA, DPA, and α-linolenic acid (ALA), and lower omega-6 LCPUFA levels, such as arachidonic acid (20:4n-6, ARA) and docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-6), resulting in a consistently low omega-6/3 ratio. No significant differences were noted between conventional and free-range eggs. Additionally, the estimated daily intake of DHA was lower in Chinese conventional (39.96±11.57 mg) and omega-3 enriched eggs (117.45±30.08 mg) compared to their American counterparts (71.19±8.99 mg and 146.57±8.07 mg, respectively).

In summary, eggs represent an important dietary source of omega-3 LCPUFAs, particularly DHA, for populations with limited seafood consumption. It is necessary to consider local egg consumption and fatty acid profiles when estimating the daily intake of omega-3 LCPUFAs in dietary guidelines.