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| CARTHAGE, Mo. — Hollis Osborne has worked with chickens for more than
five decades, and he still wonders how a hen is able to convert
dietary calcium into membrane-lined eggshells.
Osborne may not know how they come to be, but he has worked with
scientists to determine that the shell and its membrane lining can be
used to make a calcium supplement as well as a pain relief supplement
for those with joint and connective-tissue conditions.
"I know more about the membrane in an egg than when we started. The
hen does good work," Osborne said.
Osborne started a company called Membrell in 2001 in his hometown of
Carthage to explore potential uses for eggshells, which typically are
discarded or used to improve farm soil.
So far, the company is using the natural substances in the eggshell
for dietary calcium supplements to promote bone health and joint
health. The membrane is used to create a supplement for those with
conditions such as arthritis and fibromyalgia.
In January, the company started marketing the products as Membrell's
Eggshell Calcium and Membrell's NEM (Natural Eggshell Membrane).
To make the supplements, the company collects masses of eggshells from
a "breaker" company that sells the yolks and whites to the food
industry. The company had previously discarded the shells.
Patented equipment at the Carthage plant handles the tedious procedure
of separating the membrane from each shell, said company spokeswoman
Megan Vickers. Next, the eggshells and membranes are reduced to powder
form and shipped to facilities in Arizona and Utah, where the dry
climate is more conducive to encapsulating the supplements.
The supplements are then shipped back to Carthage for storage and
distribution. The company sells Membrell's Eggshell Calcium and
Membrell's NEM directly to consumers as well as to health food stores
and drug stores.
The company has its own research and development person, but it is
also working with other independent laboratories to see whether
eggshells have other natural ingredients that can provide nutrients
for the body, Vickers said.
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