Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019).

A significant amount of eggshell waste is produced as a by-product of the egg processing industry. Disposal ofx000D
these eggshells creates an environmental and financial burden and, therefore, alternative uses for thesex000D
materials would be of obvious benefit. Eggshell waste may be an important value-added resource for thex000D
extraction of novel bioactive peptides for human health, cosmetic, biomedical and nutraceutical applications. Ax000D
critical step to the extraction of valuable eggshell-derived components is to achieve a clean separation of thex000D
membranes from the calcium-rich shell. While studies up until now have demonstrated that eggshellx000D
membrane-derived proteins may have bioactive/nutraceutical potential, little is known about eggshellx000D
membrane-derived peptides, including their production and potential bioactivity. The objectives: 1) To explorex000D
methods of eggshell membrane hydrolyzation capable of industrial production. 2) To studyx000D
extraction/production and characterization of novel peptides from eggshell membrane waste and;3) To examinex000D
their use/applications in cosmetic products. Production of bioactive membrane-derived peptides will then bex000D
carried out by enzymatic hydrolysis using commercially available proteases, including collagenase andx000D
alcalase, to produce collagen-derived peptides/bioactive peptides. Different enzymes and enzyme combinationsx000D
will be examined to determine the best method of peptide production. The potential activity of eggshellx000D
membrane peptides in cosmetic applications will also be examined using cultured skin cell lines (keratinocytesx000D
and fibroblasts). The proliferation of fibroblasts on the collagen gel by eggshell membrane derived peptidesx000D
will be assessed in vitro. Fibroblasts migration and enzyme activity (hyuaronase, tyrocinase, elastase etc) willx000D
be analyzed using in vitro cell culture model. The Canadian egg industry generates over $1 billion into thex000D
economy, but it is vulnerable to shifts in consumer attitudes and perceptions about eggs. It is thereforex000D
important for the Canadian egg industry to diversify egg utilizations beyond traditional food uses and developx000D
new value-added bio-products and heath products.