According to the World Health Organization, hunger is the single largest threat to public health. As the world's population soars from 6.8 billion this year to more than 9.2 billion by 2050, agriculture will be faced with the critical issue of feeding a continually rising population. As our population increases, incomes will raise, diets will diversify and the demand for food will increase. Populations will demand a broader portfolio of foods particularly proteins such as poultry meat and eggs. These growth trends will continue for many years and will strain the food chain from field to fork. Novus International, Inc. is taking steps to answer this demand through promotion of the most economical source of protein, the egg.

Eggs are one of the most nutritious and economical foods to produce and purchase. They can be used to help fight hunger, malnutrition and starvation. "Our vision at Novus is to help feed the world affordable, wholesome food and achieve a higher quality of life," said Dr Giovanni Gasperoni, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Novus International. "In conjunction with the celebration of World Egg Day, and in support of our corporate vision, we are partnering with the egg industry in Africa and North America to promote the nutritional benefits of eggs. Parents, children, educators and athletic adults need to recognize the importance eggs play in a healthy diet."

Novus has prepared resource kits for egg industry associations in Africa and North America to utilise through their various distribution channels including schools, clinics and workplaces. The materials in each kit carry the message 'I Know the Truth About Eggs' and point to the informational web site, www.eggtruth.com. Materials include: educational brochures, posters, postcards, T-shirts and a children's colouring book. Materials have been structured to specifically target parents, children, educators and athletic adults.

"Being the most accessible, affordable and easy to prepare food, our unwarranted assistance with marketing materials for these proteins demonstrates our commitment to the industry," stated Scott Carter, Global Market Manager, Poultry, Novus International. "This opportunity will allow us to transfer knowledge in a fun, interactive environment, with communities around the world."

In addition to the marketing materials, Novus has secured 100,000 phone cards (scratch cards) with which will be distributed in Morocco, Kenya and Nigeria during the week preceding World Egg Day. These cards will feature the 'I Know the Truth About Eggs' message and point to the www.eggtruth.com web site for educational facts about eggs.

Information that will be shared on the web site is meant to educate parents, children, educators and athletic adults while disproving the myths of eating eggs. Sample educational facts include:

• One egg contains 13 essential vitamins and minerals including vitamin D. These nutrients can benefit people of any age.
• Egg yolks are an excellent source of choline, an essential nutrient that contributes to fetal brain development and helps prevent birth defects. Choline also aids the brain function of adults by maintaining the structure of brain cell membranes.
• Eggs are a key component of the neuro-transmitter system that helps relay messages from the brain through nerves to the muscles.

www.eggtruth.com will also discuss how the high-quality protein found in eggs has been shown to help people stay energized and remain full longer.

In North America, Novus has partnered with Grace Lutheran Chapel School in Bellefontaine Neighbors (a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri) to celebrate World Egg Day. The joint effort will include an assembly for all elementary grades (K - 5th) which was held on 7 October 2010. To start their day, Novus International provided students and educators at Grace Lutheran Chapel School with a nutritionally balanced breakfast consisting of eggs. Local representatives from metropolitan St Louis-based Novus International will present to the students during an interactive educational assembly about eggs. Novus nutritionists will also provide the students with easy to understand scientific evidence about the nutritional protein value eggs provide the human body.

"Our hope is that our efforts will benefit populations on two continents," added Dr Carter. "After reading our materials or joining us during our assembly, we hope that parents, children, educators and athletic adults will have a better understanding of the true health benefits within the egg."