SURVEY OF CHOLESTEROL LEVEL OF COMMERCIAL EGGS PRODUCED ON CANADIAN FARMS

A survey of the cholesterol levels of eggs from White Leghorn hens from across Canada was performed. High-performance liquid chromatography was used for cholesterol analysis. The cholesterol concentrations were found to range from 12 to 15 mg g-1 yolk, and the mean value for all eggs was 13.0 mg g-1 or 221 mg egg-1. Large eggs (35 out of 56) contained an average of 214 mg cholesterol egg-1. The effect of farm on cholesterol concentration (mg g-1 yolk) was significant (P < 0.05) and in most cases sample variation (P < 0.05) was found within each farm. Cholesterol content (mg egg-1) correlated positively with hen age, egg weight and yolk weight and negatively with dietary protein and fat. However, correlation of cholesterol concentration (mg g-1 yolk) with the above variables was not significant (P < 0.05). Selection of eggs for lower cholesterol content appears impractical under commercial operating conditions at this time.