First selenium-enriched eggs in Mongolia

The company is launching its eggs, made with organic selenium Sel-Plex^® to help alleviate a persistent selenium deficiency in the Mongolian diet, which was identified in a recent study by the country’s Ministry of Health. The new product will be available in supermarkets and other retail outlets at the beginning of December. Alltech will continue to provide technical and other assistance to Tumen Shuvuut as they introduce this first-ever selenium-enriched egg to be marketed in Mongolia.

Due to variances in mineral levels in Mongolia’s soil, many Mongolians have micronutrient deficiencies in their diets that can cause health challenges at all stages of life. One of the most critical of these deficiencies is related to selenium. The Mongolia Ministry of Health and the Public Health Institute of Mongolia have identified selenium deficiency as a serious health threat and have called for increasing the population’s selenium intake through enriched foods.

Selenium, which is nutritionally essential for humans, is a constituent of more than two dozen selenoproteins that play critical roles in reproduction, thyroid hormone metabolism, DNA synthesis and protection from oxidative damage and infection. The selenium enrichment process takes place when an animal is fed with an approved source of organic selenium, providing natural enrichment of the food product.

“Based on trials conducted with our flock using the organic selenium from Alltech, the research reports showed that the 0.5-ppm enriched eggs were more likely to offset the selenium deficiency in the Mongolian population,” said Bold Jigjid, CEO of Tumen Shuvuut LLC. “Consumers are demanding better food, and partnering with Alltech allows us to deliver enriched foods. We want consumers to understand how important selenium is for the human body.”

Dr Mark Lyons, Alltech global vice president and head of Greater China, noted that Alltech has been working on the enrichment of food products with organic selenium for more than 15 years. “Our organic form of selenium is able to support the immune system of the animal during production while also differentiating the final product in the market and contributing to human health,” said Lyons. “We are delighted to work with Tumen Shuvuut and to have the opportunity to highlight the benefits of selenium-enriched foods in Mongolia.”

Alltech is currently working with nearly 60 companies around the globe to enrich food products in the areas of dairy, beef, pork, poultry and pet food.