Abstract:

Today’s consumers are increasingly interested in functional foods that can prevent or ameliorate disease. Chicken and eggs are consumed frequently in the American diet and should ideally provide us with the essential fatty acids we need that humans cannot synthesize (omega-3 and omega-6). Evidence suggests that specific fatty acids such as polyunsaturated fats have beneficial effects on human health, contributing to the prevention of many chronic diseases. When considering the quality of the fat in the standard American diet, typically we are consuming an excess of fats daily, but not the fats that can attribute to positive health benefits. The need and demand for healthy fats in our frequently consumed products has brought attention to alternative rearing systems, such as free-range and organic raised chickens. However, consumers are still confused on if these alternative upbringing systems change the fat profiles of the products enough to benefit their health. Multiple studies have shown that there is a very small, and not significant difference, in fatty acid content of eggs whether they were organically or conventionally housed. Other information has shown that the feeding process of poultry could also contribute to a change in the fat profiles. The nutritive value of eggs under free-range rearing technologies were studied and shown to have a ‘healthier’ and more appealing nutrient profile than the conventionally produced eggs. There has also been many other factors identified that may affect fat profiles of products such as varying genotypes of hens and climates that the animal lived in. Much of the published research to date is still contradicting and leaves consumers confused on if or if not organically raised and free-range eggs and chicken are beneficial to one’s health.