Freshness is a major contribution to the egg quality. The internal quality of eggs begins to deteriorate after they have been laid due to loss of moisture and carbon dioxide via the eggshell pores. Refrigeration is very effective in preserving egg quality. Surface coating is an alternative method to preserve egg quality, although it is much less effective than refrigeration. This study demonstrated that coconut, rice bran, soybean, and palm oils, which are abundant and commonly consumed in many parts of the world, could preserve the internal quality and reduce weight loss of oil-coated eggs during room temperature storage.

Twenty egg product attributes considered important by consumers (n = 400) were identified and their contribution to the satisfaction of quality requirements and purchase intent was examined using principal component analysis and the Kano model. Consumers considered freshness, absence of cracks, sale price and label stating "packing/best-before-date" as key attributes affecting purchase intent. Five principal components (PC1-PC5) were extracted, altogether explaining 57.43% of the total variance. Based on the PC loadings, the following groups emerged: PC1 (intrinsic quality), PC2 (aesthetic value), PC3 (extrinsic quality), PC4 (expediency) and PC5 (wholesomeness and safety). From the Kano analysis, eight variables (freshness, shell cleanness, absence of cracks, USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)-certified farm eggs, label stating "packing/best-beforedate", egg grade, secure packaging and availability) corresponding mostly to PC3, PC4 and PC5 were categorized as "must-be attributes," with dissatisfaction coefficients ranging from 0.87 (freshness) to 0.38 (egg grade). Sale price and egg size were classified as one-dimensional and attractive attributes, respectively. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThe Kano model is an efficient tool to prioritize product development efforts to prevent consumer dissatisfaction while increasing satisfaction. In this study, principal component analysis and the Kano model were utilized to understand the relationships between egg quality variables driving purchase intent and their impact on consumer satisfaction. Findings from this investigation present egg processors and retailers with valuable insights for successful differentiation from the competition and to increase profits, by identifying the essential product attributes with the most potential to delight consumers.