Effect of Storage Time, Temperature and Hen Age on Egg Quality in Free-Range Layer Hens

Abstract

A total of 360 eggs obtained from brown-nick hens at 22 and 50 weeks of age were used to investigate the effect of hen age, storage time and storage temperature on interior quality of eggs. The eggs were sampled fresh and after storage for 3, 7, 10 and 14 days at 4 and 20 degrees C. At sampling, eggs were weighed and broken and albumen and yolk height and width, pH, Haugh Unit (HU), air cell size, weight loss and specific gravity were measured. There was a clearly negative effect of storage time and temperature on weight loss, specific gravity, yolk and albumen index and HU. Weight loss was significantly raised by increased hen age, storage time and temperature. Albumen and yolk pH were also significantly increased by storage time and temperature. As a result, the role of hen age, storage temperature and time were found to be important in keeping of the egg freshness. It has seemed that chilling storage was the only condition to guarantee a certain level of freshness.