CHANGES IN EGG QUALITY DURING STORAGE

Abstract

During cooling and storage, internal and external, i.e. physical, biochemical and microbiological changes occur in eggs that lead to a decrease in their quality, and in case of improper storage to spoilage. The intensity of the changes depends on the cooling and storage regime of eggs. If the eggs are kept at higher temperatures and lower relative humidity, those changes take place quickly. The basic physical function is drying of the egg content, i.e. weight loss of the eggs. The height of the egg white, Haugh units, pH of the egg white and yolk, specific gravity and air bubble size are the most important parameters and they are greatly influenced by the storage time and temperature. This study offers a brief overview of the egg changes over several weeks of storage, as well as the storage of cooled eggs over several months.