Safety evaluation of eggshell powder based on acute and subchronic toxicity studies

The chicken eggshell is specifically composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) at a percentage of 98%, therefore providing an important component of dietary calcium for people of all ages.The present study was carried out to evaluate the safety of eggshell powder. Eggshell as a supplement material must be quality and safety standards through acute and subchronic toxicity testing. The toxicity test was based on the OECD 425 Up and Down method and OECD 407. Eggshell powder did not show any signs of poisoning, and there was no decrease in the bodyweight of the rats. LD50 value of Eggshell powder more than 5000mg/kgBW categorized as practically non-toxic based on the analysis using the AOT425 Pgm. stat. There was no effect of eggshells powder on the increase in body weight of male and female rats. The eggshell administration has not affected the hematological profile including MCH, MCHC, leucocytes, basophils, eosinophils, segmented neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and platelets. The blood biochemical profile of eggshells gave normal results on the triglyceride, HDL, glucose, urea, SGOT, and SGPT profiles but increased the total cholesterol profile, LDL of female rats, and the creatinine profile of male rats in the control group, at doses of 400 and 1000mg/kgBW, and control satellite, as well as female creatinine profiles in the control satellite group. Microscopic observations of the heart showed hypertrophy in some female rats and reversible necrosis in some male rats. Microscopic histology observation of kidney organs showed glomerular atrophy in female and male rats. Changes in the kidney organs in the female and male dose groups were also reversible. The histology results show that there are no changes that occur in the lungs, and spleen organs of female and male rats. These investigations indicate that eggshells may be safe for human ingestion.