Effect of testing temperature on internal egg quality measurements

Area of Science:

• Poultry Science
• Food Science
• Animal Husbandry

Background:

• Egg quality is crucial for consumer acceptance and market value.
• Haugh unit (HU) is a standard measure of egg albumen quality.
• Egg quality can decline during storage and be influenced by various factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of egg testing temperature on multiple shell egg quality measurements.
• To compare the performance of three different Haugh unit (HU) devices under varying temperatures and storage conditions.
• To determine the optimal conditions for accurate egg quality assessment.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated egg quality parameters including Haugh units (HU), egg weight, albumen, and yolk characteristics.
• Utilized three HU devices: electronic Haugh, tripod Haugh, and Haugh meter.
• Tested eggs from two hen strains (Hyline W36, Bovans White) at three temperatures (5°C, 13°C, 23°C) and two storage times (0 and 7 weeks).

Main Results:

• HU values decreased significantly with increased testing temperature, especially after 7 weeks of storage.
• The electronic Haugh and tripod Haugh devices provided consistent measurements across conditions.
• The Haugh meter showed lower HU values at higher temperatures and longer storage.
• Coefficient of variation for HU measurements increased with temperature for all methods.

Conclusions:

• Egg testing temperature must be reported for consistent and comparable HU measurements.
• The electronic Haugh device demonstrated the lowest coefficient of variation and sensitivity to quality loss.
• Optimal egg quality assessment is achieved at lower testing temperatures, particularly 5°C.