LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- There might be something wrong with your eggs.
Benguet State University vice president for Corporate and Business Affairs Jones Feliciano said consumption of orange yolk eggs may lead to cause cancer.
Feliciano said orange yolk eggs believed to be healthier than the natural light yellow egg yolk color contains synthetic supplements, which make colors brighter.
"It has adverse effects and may cause cancer,” he warned.
Feliciano said the deep orange color of egg yolk is abnormal, stressing, "The natural color of egg yolks should be light yellow."
Feliciano is warning the public to stick to buying eggs with the natural pale yellow color and avoid the deep orange eggs, which now flood the market.
"The Food and Drug Authority must be informed about this, so they can issue a warning," he said.
Feliciano said BSU supplies eggs to the entire region, delivering heavily to Baguio, Benguet, Mountain Province and Ifugao.
According to research articles, the color of the yolk is due to substances called carotenoids and the primary sources of carotenoids in poultry feed are maize (corn), maize gluten, alfalfa (lucerne) and grass meals.
These sources contain the pigmenting carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which, together with other oxygen-containing carotenoids, are known by the collective name of xanthophylls.
Feliciano said synthetic chemicals are mixed to poultry feeds to make the color of the yolk a deep orange, which is composed of harmful chemicals.
The state university has a poultry farm consisting of 12,000 chickens laying eggs, which at its optimum efficiency can lay 10,000 eggs a day.
Feliciano said the BSU has been transacting with San Miguel Corporation for its supply of poultry feeds because of the quality of the natural feeds they supply the university.