Renata Limited has begun marketing a new, specially nutritious egg that the company says is good for mothers and children. It has been named "Folate".

Renata says the egg contains 35 per cent more folate (vitamin B9) than an ordinary egg, meeting 20 per cent of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA). Folate, especially beneficial for children, adolescents and pregnant women, plays an important role in the formation and growth of red blood cells.

This was announced at a formal launch of the folate egg at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Sunday (28 August) afternoon. The nutraceuticals division of Renata Limited has brought the egg to market to include folate in "Purnava" foods.

Renata said eggs normally contain folic acid because it is included in chicken feed. But during the hen's digestion, stomach acid breaks down the folate, reducing the amount of vitamin B9 in the egg. To avoid this, Renata's scientists used a spray-coating technique to create a modified-release folate that stays intact in the strong acid of the hen's stomach, so the egg naturally contains more folate.

To test the plan, Renata ran a trial at its poultry research centre in Bhaluka using 36 hens divided into three groups. The control group's diet included the folic acid normally used in chicken feed, while two groups were fed modified-release folic acid. Analysis of the results showed that on average 100 grams of folate egg contains 152 mcg of vitamin B.

A paper on the folate egg was presented at the event by Professor Dr Khaleda Islam, director of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science at Dhaka University.

She said eggs naturally contain folate, but "Purnava" eggs have 35 per cent more than ordinary eggs. Folate plays an important role in protecting the health of children, adolescents and pregnant women. In particular, it helps form red and white blood cells and makes DNA and RNA, and it supplies nutrients to the body by aiding digestion, she said.

The paper said folate plays an important role in the formation and growth of red blood cells, and in pregnant women helps reduce birth defects, especially of the spine and brain. Folate deficiency can raise the risk of cleft lip and palate, heart defects, limb defects, pre-term delivery, low birth weight and miscarriage.

Renata Limited was represented at the event by Md Sirajul Haque, director of Renata's animal health division.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.