Quality of free-range and commercial eggs subjected to different storage periods and temperatures

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the internal quality of eggs from commercial laying hens and free-range hens subjected to different storage periods and temperatures. For the experiment, 280 eggs were randomly distributed into different treatments, adopting a completely randomized design, in a 2 x 7 factorial arrangement of two temperatures, seven storage periods, totaling 14 treatments with 10 replications. The treatments consisted of two storage conditions: under refrigeration (6 ± 1.0ºC) and at room temperature (26.6 ± 1.0ºC). Eggs were analyzed for 30 days, with evaluations in different storage periods (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 days). For each storage condition, 140 eggs were separated, 70 commercial eggs and 70 free-range eggs. There was a linear increase in egg weight loss, yolk weight, albumen pH, yolk pH, length and width of albumen and yolk of commercial and free-range eggs, as the storage period increased. There was a linear reduction in weight, height and albumen index and in the yolk index of commercial and free-range eggs as the storage period increased, with more pronounced responses for eggs stored at room temperature (P<0.05). Albumen percentage was linearly reduced only for commercial eggs (P<0.05). Eggs kept at room temperature reduce their quality after 15 days of storage, and the storage under refrigeration for 30 days is recommended to preserve the shelf life of the egg for consumption.

Quality of cold-stored free-range eggs sold in different retail outlets in Alfenas – MG, Brazil

“…Furthermore, a notable difference (p<0.05) was observed in yolk color between retail outlets, with supermarket eggs displaying more intense yolk hues than those from street markets (Table 4). The deeper yolk color could suggest a more diverse diet typical of free-range systems, or the inclusion of natural or synthetic colorants, potentially indicating a higher level of carotenoids antioxidants and precursors of vitamin A (Carvalho et al, 2022). Consumers should exercise caution, as there exists a common misconception that brown/red-shelled eggs sold at open markets originate from free-range poultry.…”

“…While the degradation process is inevitable, storage conditions, particularly refrigeration, play a critical role in slowing this decline and ensuring the safety of the product for consumers. As pointed out by Carvalho et al (2022), the current legislation is non-specific for free-range eggs, relying instead on standards set for commercial eggs. This highlights the need for research into the quality of eggs from alternative farming systems, given the limited Brazilian literature on the differences between free-range eggs sold in open-air markets and supermarkets.…”

Analysis of the Quality of Eggs Marketed in Santarém, Brazil

“…These levels differ from those found by Medeiros et al (2022), who found values equal to 12% of the egg size. However, (Carvalho et al, 2022) also found that the average percentage of bark was The difference in the percentage of the shell may be related to the storage method and the nutritional management of laying hens. It was also observed that free-range eggs had lower percentages when compared to commercial eggs.…”

“…Eggs with poor-quality shells are undesirable mainly because they are considered the first protective barrier against the entry of microorganisms into the eggs (Mertens et al, 2006;Janczak & Riber, 2015;Carvalho et al, 2022). The egg is exposed to a series of factors that compromise the microbiological quality, ranging from employees, equipment, facilities, and management to the bird itself (Sharma et al, 2022).…”

Analysis of the Physical Quality of Chicken Eggs Fed with Added Calcium Fish Oil by Spectroscopic Method

“…Eggshell is the main factor in maintaining egg quality (Carrillo et al, 2021). Good shell quality will be able to maintain the quality of the eggs, especially the contents of the eggs (Carvalho et al, 2023). According to Jusuf et al (2021), the standard for consumption of chicken eggs based on the level of physical quality of eggs is the condition of the shell, smooth, intact and clean.…”