Keeping quality of shell eggs during summer

Abstract

A study was conducted to asses the keeping quality of shell eggs during summer months of March, April and May. Quality deterioration on 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th and 15th days of storage of eggs held at room temperature was measured. Simulteniuosly lime treated eggs at room temperature and eggs held in cooler at 10 to 130 C were also evaluated similarly. A total of 432 tables eggs were used for the study, 144 eggs under each treatment. The traits measured for quality assessment were weight loss, albumen index, yolk index, haugh unit score, per cent thick albumen and albumen pH.

Following observations were made from the study: 1. The average temperature and humidity during the three months of study did not vary greatly and were 310 C and 61.3 per cent relative humidity respectively.

2. Irrespective of the mode of storage deterioration in quality with respect to all the traits increased with the increase in the period of storage.

3. Based on Haugh unit score it was observed that eggs stored at room temperature without any treatment maintained reasonable quality only upto 10 days while those stored under both the treatments were reasonably good even on the 15th day of storage.

4. At all stages of storage upto 15 days eggs held at room temperature without any treatment were decidedly inferior to those stored in cooler or after lime treatment with regard to all quality factors.

5. Both lime treatment and holding in cooler were found equally effective in maintaining egg quality upto 15 days of storage.

The following conclusions are drawn based on the results of the study.

I. It is not advisable to keep shell eggs at room temperature in summer for more than ten days before consumption.

II. Eggs can be stored safely for 15 days without loosing market quality greatly if preserved after lime treatment or in cooler at 10 to 130 C.

III. Even though both the methods of preservation employed in the study was found to be more or less equally effective, lime sealing appeared a simple economic and suitable technique of preservation for small scale producers.