Whey protein isolate coating and concentration effects on egg shelf life

The influences of three different concentrations (6, 12 and 18%) of whey protein isolate (WPI) coatings on shelf‐life enhancements of the fresh egg quality (weight loss, pH, Haugh unit, yolk index and colors) and the shelf life were evaluated at room temperature. All coated eggs showed lower weight loss than uncoated eggs. Less weight loss (2.46 for 12% WPI and 2.38 for 18% WPI) was observed in WPI‐coated eggs. Haugh units (HU) indicated that coated eggs remained in grade ‘A’ during 3 weeks storage period, whereas uncoated (UC) changed from grade ‘A’ to ‘B’ after 1 week of storage. The HU and yolk‐index (YI) values of all WPI‐coated eggs were significantly higher than those of UC. Among the coated eggs, there were no significant differences in HU, but 12 and 18% WPI coated had higher YI than WPI 6% coated and UC. The albumen pH of the UC eggs was significantly higher than that of coated eggs. Yolk lightness (L*) and (b*); shell (a*) and (b*) of coated eggs were not different from UC after 4 weeks. Performance of WPI coatings depended on the concentration up to 12% but not between 12 and 18%. Results also indicated that WPI coatings served as protective barrier for shelf life of the eggs. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Combination of Super Chilling and High Carbon Dioxide Concentration Techniques Most Effectively to Preserve Freshness of Shell Eggs during Long-Term Storage

ABSTRACT:  This study was made to examine the combined effects of stored temperature and carbon dioxide atmosphere on shell egg quality. The shell eggs were packed into polyethylene terephthalate/polyethylene (PET/PE) pouches and stored at 0 °C (super chilling), 10 °C, and 20 °C, respectively for 90 d. The atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration was controlled to obtain the 3 concentration levels of high (about 2.0%), medium (about 0.5%), and low (below 0.01%). Changes in Haugh unit (HU) values, weakening of vitelline membranes, and generation of volatiles were analyzed to evaluate the freshness of shell eggs. Results showed that, compared with the other combinations, the technique of super chilling and high carbon dioxide concentration enabled shell eggs to be most effectively stored for 90 d, based on estimations of the statistical significances of differences in HU values, and on maintaining the initial HU values during storage. In addition, the storage of shell eggs using this combination technique was found to significantly prevent the weakening of the vitelline membrane based on the estimations of numbers of eggs without vitelline membrane breakage when eggs broke, and significantly lowered the incidence of hexanal in the yolk from exposure to the gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analyses of volatiles. Thus, these results confirmed that the combination of super chilling and high carbon dioxide concentration was the most effective technique for preserving shell eggs during a long term of 90 d compared with other combination techniques.     

EFFECT OF RAPID COOLING ON THE GROWTH AND PENETRATION OF SALMONELLA ENTERITIDIS INTO EGG CONTENTS

Shell eggs were inoculated internally with approximately 10 cells of Salmonella enterica serovar enteritidis (S. enteritidis) and subjected to three different cooling treatments. Eggs were cooled from an initial temperature of 27C to approximately 7.2C. After cooling, eggs were stored at approximately 7.2C for 36 days, or stored at 5.7–9.5C for 30 days plus 6 days at 37C to simulate temperature abuse. Rapid cooling and subsequent storage of eggs at approximately 7.2C inhibited the growth of S. enteritidis in eggs. Slow cooling, and/or temperature abuse promoted growth of S. enteritidis in eggs. The penetration study indicated that rapid cooling and subsequent storage at 7.2C for 30 days did not affect the penetration of S. enteritidis into egg contents. The S. enteritidis isolated from the eggshell with shell membranes was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than from the internal egg contents, indicating that most of the S. enteritidis cells were trapped within the shell pores and/or shell membranes.     

Assessment of egg freshness by prediction of Haugh unit and albumen pH using an artificial neural network

Eggs are a good source of high quality protein and knowing their quality (physical and chemical properties) during storage is of great importance. Thus, the aim of this research was to design a computer vision system to assess egg freshness during storage time. To this end, 210 intact eggs were collected and stored for 30 days under room conditions (25?±?2 °C and 20?±?3%). After imaging, every other day, some internal and external quality characteristics including yolk height, yolk and albumen pH, yolk and albumen density and Haugh unit (HU) were measured as destructive parameters and area index (D) egg weight as non-destructive parameters. Based on Pearson correlation coefficients, area index were significantly correlated with all destructive variables (p?<?0.05). In order to predict egg freshness, artificial neural network was trained by Levenberg–Marquardt, scaled conjugate gradient, Bayesian regulation, resilient and radial basis algorithms. The best result of artificial neural network for HU and albumen pH prediction was achieved by the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm with the correlation coefficient of 0.93 and 0.87, respectively.     

Changes in Heat-Induced Rheological Properties During Cold Storage of Egg Albumen

Two groups of eggs were stored at 15°C for 0, 5 and 10 days. One group was stored, with the shell removed, in sterile Whirl-Pak bags. A second group was stored as intact whole eggs. Viscosity index, apparent elasticity, and initial penetration force were determined for heat-induced (80°C, 80 min) gels of the thick, thin and mixed albumens from each group. The rheological parameters increased with storage time, with the greater increase exhibited by the gels of the albumens that were stored as shell eggs. Solution pH was a major factor controlling these rheological properties of heated egg albumen.     

贮藏温度-时间变化对壳蛋新鲜度影响研究

该文以新鲜罗曼粉壳蛋为研究对象,研究5个贮藏温度-时间变化组壳蛋新鲜度指标变化,分别于0、10、20、30 d检测所有实验组壳蛋失重率、气室高度、哈夫单位、蛋黄指数、浓稀蛋白比、蛋清pH。结果表明,贮藏期间壳蛋失重率、气室高度和蛋清pH显著升高（P<0.05）,哈夫单位、蛋黄指数和浓稀蛋白比显著下降（P<0.05）。贮藏20 d时,处理组5壳蛋哈夫单位和蛋黄指数显著高于（P<0.05）对照组1、处理组1、处理组2和处理组3,而失重率、气室高度、蛋清pH较低（P<0.05）。贮藏30 d时,处理组5壳蛋失重率和气室高度显著低于对照组1、处理组1和处理组3（P<0.05）,蛋黄指数显著高于对照组1、处理组2、处理组3、处理组4（P<0.05）。除失重率、哈夫单位外,对照组2与处理组5壳蛋新鲜度指标整体差别不大。因此,除了壳蛋自身品质外,需要尽可能延长低温（4 ℃）贮藏时间,延缓壳蛋新鲜度指标劣变。     

Effect of Storage Conditions on the Quality Attributes of Shell (Table) Eggs

In tropical countries like Nigeria, egg preservation is a serious problem. The common practice is to store under ambient condition due to lack of refrigeration facilities and erratic power supply. Four crates of fresh table eggs were bought from the University of Agriculture, Makurdi farm and preliminary investigations of egg weights, Haugh unit, pH and yolk index were carried out before storage and found to be within standard. Thirty eggs were stored under ambient condition with and without application of oil respectively. The other group of thirty eggs was refrigerated. The initial weights were in the range of 60 – 69 g which reduced drastically. All other quality indices like the Haugh unit, the yolk index and pH declined drastically within the four weeks of the storage especially those that were stored under the ambient conditions. Those stored under refrigeration and those that were oiled and stored under ambient conditions (32 + 2 °C) maintained high quality standards in all the quality indices evaluated. The microbiological result also showed higher bacteria, yeast and mould count on those stored under ambient condition with the initial count of 5.0 × 10³ at first week and 2.8 × 10⁷ at the fourth week while the oiled and refrigerated eggs had values of 5.0 × 10³ at week zero and 7.2 × 10⁴ at week four of storage respectively. It is suggested that application of oil on eggs before storage can be practised to ensure retention of good quality eggs especially in the tropics and most developing nations of the world.     

贮藏温度变化对壳蛋新鲜度的影响

该文以新鲜罗曼粉壳蛋为研究对象,研究4个贮藏温度变化处理组壳蛋新鲜度指标的变化,分别于0、10、20、30 d检测所有实验组壳蛋失重率、气室高度、哈夫单位、蛋黄指数、浓稀蛋白比和蛋清pH。结果表明,贮藏10～30 d,处理组2、处理组3、处理组4的失重率显著升高(P<0.05),而气室高度和浓稀蛋白比显著降低(P<0.05),除对照组外,所有处理组壳蛋pH呈现先升高后下降的趋势,处理组3和处理组4的蛋黄指数下降趋势更为明显。对照组和处理组1壳蛋的哈夫单位、蛋黄指数和浓稀蛋白比显著高于(P<0.05)处理组3和处理组4。在贮藏10～20 d时,处理组2的壳蛋pH显著高于(P<0.05)对照组和处理组1。因此,如果前10 d常温贮藏温度≥20℃时,引起壳蛋失重率的增加和哈夫单位的下降,与低温(4℃)贮藏相比,采用贮藏温度变化(常温-低温)贮藏壳蛋更容易引起壳蛋新鲜度指标的下降。     

Storage stability of an egg yolk cream formulation: texture and microbiological assessment

BACKGROUND: Egg yolk cream is confectioned with egg yolk, sugar and water. Pasteurized liquid eggs may be used in order to increase product safety, although these samples may differ from the classic ones produced with raw eggs. The objective was to evaluate and compare the stability (physicochemical characteristics, such as texture assessment, pH and water activity, and microbiological assessment) of a classic formulation and an alternative one produced with pasteurized eggs, during storage at 6, 26, 30 and 37 °C. RESULTS: From a microbiological point of view (mesophile and psychrotrophic activity), no differences were observed in either formulations. At 6 and 26 °C, rheological behaviour of both formulations remained approximately constant. At 30 and 37 °C, differences were only detected after 20 days of storage. Texture was better retained in samples prepared with pasteurized eggs, while the classic samples showed an increase in complex viscosity. CONCLUSION: Cream storage did not require refrigeration. In terms of texture and microbial load, results obtained at 6 and 26 °C were identical. The formulations only differed in texture when stored at 30 and 37 °C and for long periods. These conclusions may allow reduction of costs related to refrigerated distribution/storage of either classic or alternative formulations. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

The vitelline membrane: Dynamics of cholesterol metabolism in hens' eggs

Changes in cholesterol levels in egg contents were studied to indicate trends and dynamics of processes of penetration through the vitelline membrane from yolk to egg white. Investigations were carried out on eggs stored for a period of 35 days at room temperature (22°C). Levels of free and esterified cholesterol were determined by the spectrophotometric method at 7-day intervals. The selective character of the vitelline membrane depends on conditions and period of storage. The study demonstrated that the vitelline membrane loses its selective nature between the twentieth and thirtieth days under particular conditions of storage. Following this period, a spontaneous penetration of cholesterol into the egg white is observed—i.e. the barrier equilibrium of the membrane becomes unstable. The presence of free cholesterol in egg white may be indicative of loss of egg freshness.     

Effects of egg weight on egg quality characteristics

BACKGROUND: The experiment was carried out with total of 270 eggs, which were collected from a brown‐egg layer strain of Lohmann hens reared in a cage system. Collected eggs were categorized according to weight and classified as medium, large, extra‐large or jumbo. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of egg weight on egg quality characteristics. RESULTS: The darkest shell color scales were noted in jumbo eggs. The redness of egg shell color in the medium egg was significantly lower than that of the other egg sizes (P < 0.05). Egg shell thickness (P < 0.05) was highest in medium egg (0.400 mm) and lowest in extra‐large egg (0.382 mm). Albumen height (AH) was significantly affected by egg weight (EW) (P < 0.01). Yolk height (YH) and yolk index (YI) increased with egg size. Breaking strength was highest in the medium‐weight egg. There were significant positive correlations between EW and AH, EW and YH, EW and YI, EW and yol color, EW and redness (a), but EW had significant negative correlations with ST in overall eggs. CONCLUSION: The darkest shell color (L‐a‐b) was noted in the jumbo egg. Albumen height and yolk height increased with egg weight. Increase in egg weight caused darkness in the yolk color scale. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Laying season and egg shell cracks on the growth of Salmonella enteritidis in the egg albumen during storage

We studied the effects of laying seasons and egg shell cracks on the ability of egg albumen to support the growth of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) in eggs. Hens eggs used were those laid in February, June, and October in a farm in Japan and stored at 10, 20, and 30 degrees C, and at 30 degrees C after storage at 10 degrees C, immediately after receipt or after cracking the shell. At several-day intervals during storage, the egg contents were poured into a dish, SE was inoculated into albumen, and then the growth of SE during 3 days incubation at 18 degrees C was measured. The results demonstrated that storage temperature and laying season affected the growth of SE in the egg albumen. The proportion of eggs upon which albumen allowed the growth of SE was higher in the eggs stored at 30 degrees C than those stored at 10 degrees C. The growth of SE in eggs was lowest in the following order of laying: February, October, and June. SE grew preferably in albumen of cracked eggs than intact eggs.     

Effectiveness of chitosan‐based coating in improving shelf‐life of eggs

Despite eggs having a natural packaging—shell—they are perishable and can lose their quality during storage. Chitosan‐based coatings were applied to shell eggs to examine potential effects on egg quality properties (weight loss, Haugh unit, yolk index) during 4 weeks of storage. Mineral amounts in yolks were also evaluated after 4 weeks of storage. Three chitosan‐based coatings produced with organic acids (acetic‐(C‐AA), lactic‐(C‐LA), and propionic (C‐PA)) were evaluated on shelf‐life enhancements of fresh egg quality. All chitosan‐coated eggs showed greater interior quality than the non‐coated eggs. The coatings significantly maintained weight loss compared to the control specimen (4.96%). Lower weight loss (3.45% for C‐PA, 3.53% for C‐LA) was observed in the coated eggs. Eggshell chitosan coat containing lactic and propionic acids maintained higher Haugh unit and yolk index than eggs coated with acetic acid. Uncoated (UC) eggs changed from grade ‘A’ to ‘B’ after 1 week of storage. Chitosan‐based coating containing lactic and propionic acids maintained eggs in grade ‘A’ for 4 weeks. Haugh unit showed that C‐LA and C‐PA effectively maintained eggs at grade ‘A’ quality for at least 3 weeks more than control and 1 week more than C‐AA. Results also indicated that the chitosan coating maintained mineral amounts at nutritional values (especially calcium, iron and magnesium concentration) in yolks after 4 weeks storage. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Antigenicity of Ovomucoid Remaining in Boiled Shell Eggs

Antigenicity of egg white proteins which remained in heated shell eggs was analyzed quantitatively by using rabbit antibodies specific to egg white proteins and human antibody from patients allergic to egg. The major antigenic component in heated (100°C for 20 min) and coagulated egg white was ovomucoid. A considerable amount of ovomucoid remained immunoreactive even after heating at 100°C for 15 min, though ovomucoid in stored eggs was a little less stable to heating than that of fresh eggs. Even long-time heating (100°C for 45 min) could not completely eliminate the ovomucoid immunoreactivity to human IgE antibody.     

Texture and Microstructure of Cooked Whole Egg Yolks and Heat-Formed Gels of Stirred Egg Yolk

Hardness, cohesiveness, and springiness of heated intact egg yolks were determined by an Instron compression test. Hardness increased as temperature was increased from 75° to 90°C and as time of heating was increased from 10 to 30 min. Cohesiveness and springiness increased as temperature was increased from 75° to 80°C and as time was increased from 10 to 30 min. Egg yolks from cooked shell eggs were lower in all textural parameters than gels formed from stirred egg yolk. Low scores for cohesiveness and springiness were indicative of the crumbliness of yolk from cooked shell eggs; crumbliness was attributed to structural characteristics. The microstructure consisted of adjoining polyhedral grains, which showed no evidence of crosslinking. Grains appeared to be equivalent to yolk spheres, ranging in size from 40 to 100 μm. The structure of a stirred yolk gel consisted of a highly crosslinked protein matrix containing spheres (5–35 μm) and granules (l–2 μm).     

EGG QUALITY AS AFFECTED BY STORAGE AND HANDLING METHODS

The quality and shelf-life of fresh eggs were studied under simulated climatic conditions as found in Kuwait. Three groups of eggs (unwashed, washed, and washed and oil treated) were used. The treated eggs were stored at 5°, 25°, 37° and 42°C. Internal and external quality and sensory evaluation of the eggs stored up to 75 days were determined. The quality of the unwashed and washed eggs stored at 37°C and 42°C deteriorated rapidly while the wash and oil treatment extended shelf-life but decreased in quality to C over a period of time. The percent weight loss in the oil treated eggs at all temperatures was about 0.6% while the washed and unwashed lost more depending upon the temperature and storage time. All parameters studied for interior quality showed that oil treated eggs were significantly better than untreated eggs even at 42°C. Sensory evaluation on boiled eggs indicated that changes in flavor and overall quality for untreated eggs stored at high temperatures were obvious while little change in texture was observed. It was concluded that under Kuwaiti conditions eggs should be oil treated directly after collection and stored at or below 25°C so that the quality and shelf-life can be extended significantly.     

Effects of sea trout egg quality on stability of salted roe during cold storage

Sea trout eggs were salted in NaCl solution after 4 and 14 days of cold storage. The study indicated that the egg resistance to crushing decreased during cold storage from the initial 220 g to 180 g after 14 days. Changes in hardness of the egg membrane accelerated salt diffusion by about 30% to 80% during immersion in NaCl solution. Salting the eggs to 2.3% and 4.0% NaCl content decreased the hardness during cold storage, the decrease being larger in the roe manufactured from a lower quality raw material. In the eggs containing 5.3% and 7.0% NaCl the resistance to crushing increased during storage at 4°C to the extent similar in both egg freshness states obtained prior to salting. The salt content in sea trout eggs ranging from 23% to 7.0% only slightly activated hydrolysis and oxidation of lipid components at 4°C. Lipid oxidation was more rapid in eggs salted after 14 than in those salted after 4 days of storage in ice. Carotenoids of the salted eggs showed a decrease in undesirable cis-bonds during cold storage. Salting the sea trout eggs after 14 days of storage at 2°C shortened the storage time of the final product at 4°C by at least 1 month as compared to the salted roe kept in ice for 4 days before salting.     

贮藏条件与禽蛋品质的相关性研究

为了比较不同贮藏条件对禽蛋品质的影响,将鸡蛋、鸭蛋和鹅蛋置于5、10、20、30℃贮藏30d,分析3种禽蛋品质变化与贮藏条件相关性规律。结果表明:贮藏温度对禽蛋品质的影响显著,高温贮藏加速禽蛋品质下降;禽蛋品质随贮藏时间延长而下降;除哈夫单位,3种禽蛋品质可以用相同品质指标来衡量。拟合方程的判定系数表明,贮藏过程中失重率和整蛋pH变化可以用零级反应动力学方程表征,哈夫单位和蛋黄指数变化规律可以用一级反应动力学方程表征。品质变化动力学级数与禽蛋品种无关,不同种类禽蛋在贮藏过程中品质变化规律基本相似。     

Inactivation of Salmonella in Shell Eggs by Hot Water Immersion and Its Effect on Quality

Thermal inactivation kinetics of heat resistant strains of Salmonella Enteritidis in shell eggs processed by hot water immersion were determined and the effects of the processing on egg quality were evaluated. Shell eggs were inoculated with a composite of heat resistant Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) strains PT8 C405, 2 (FSIS #OB030832), and 6 (FSIS #OB040159). Eggs were immersed in a circulating hot water bath for various times and temperatures. Come‐up time of the coldest location within the egg was 21 min. SE was reduced by 4.5 log at both hot water immersion treatments of 56.7 C for 60 min and 55.6 °C for 100 min. Decimal reduction times (D‐values) at 54.4, 55.6, and 56.7 °C were 51.8, 14.6, and 9.33 min, respectively. The z‐value was 3.07 °C. Following treatments that resulted in a 4.5 log reduction (56.7 °C/60 min and 55.6 °C/100 min), the surviving population of SE remained static during 4 wk of refrigerated storage. After processing under conditions resulting in 4.5 log reductions, the Haugh unit and albumen height significantly increased (P < 0.01) and yolk index significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The shell dynamic stiffness significantly increased (P < 0.05), while static compression shell strength showed no significant difference (P < 0.05). Vitelline membrane strength significantly increased (P < 0.05); although, no significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed in vitelline membrane elasticity. In summary, the hot water immersion process inactivated heat resistant SE in shell eggs by 4.5 log, but also significantly affected several egg quality characteristics.     

Prediction of Egg Freshness and Albumen Quality Using Visible/Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Important changes occur in egg during storage leading to loss of quality. Prediction of these changes is critical in order to monitor egg quality and freshness. The aim of this research was to evaluate application of visible (VIS) and near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as a rapid and non-destructive technique for egg quality assessment. Three hundred and sixty intact white-shelled eggs freshly laid by the same flock of hens fed with a standard feed were obtained. They were put under controlled conditions of temperature and humidity (T = 18 °C and RH = 55%) for 16 days of storage. Forty eggs were analyzed at day 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16. Transmission spectral data was obtained in the range from 350 to 2,500 nm. The non-destructive spectral data was compared to egg sample’s Haugh unit (HU) and albumen pH in terms of quality and to the number of storage days in terms of freshness. A partial least squares predictive model was developed and used to link the destructive assessment methods and the number of storage days with the spectral data. The correlation coefficient between the measured and predicted values of HU, albumen pH, and number of storage days were up to 0.94, R ² was up to 0.90 and the root mean square error values for the validation were 5.05, 0.06, and 1.65, respectively. These results showed that VIS/NIR transmission spectroscopy is a good tool for assessment of egg freshness and albumen pH and can be used as a non-destructive method for the prediction of HU, albumen pH, and number of storage days. In addition, the relevant information about these parameters was in the VIS and NIR ranging from 411 to 1,729 nm.