Effects of Storage Temperature and Time on the Quality of Eggs from Laying Hens at Peak Production

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of storage temperature and time on the quality parameters of eggs from laying hens at peak production. A total of 576 eggs were obtained from Lohmann Light-Brown hens, which were collected 3 times when the hens were 26, 27, and 28 weeks old. The fresh eggs were collected and measured within 2 h of being laid. Samples of 48 eggs each were stored in chambers for 2, 5, or 10 d inside a refrigerator (5 degrees C), at room temperature (21 degrees C), and at a high temperature (29 degrees C). As the storage temperature and time increased, egg weight, percentage of albumen, Haugh unit (HU), and yolk color significantly (p<0.001) decreased. In addition, egg shell weight, shell percentage, and albumen weight significantly (p<0.001) decreased with storage time. Yolk weight, yolk percentage, and albumen pH significantly (p<0.001) increased with increasing storage temperature, and yolk pH significantly (p<0.001) increased with increasing storage time. When the storage temperature was increased to 29 degrees C, egg weight loss dramatically increased from 1.74 to 3.67% at 5 and 10 d of storage time, respectively. With the exception of the 5 degrees C storage temperature, HU dramatically decreased according to storage time and temperature, decreasing from 91.3 to 72.63 at 21 degrees C and from 87.62 to 60.92 at 29 degrees C during 10 d of storage; however, this decline was not found at 5 degrees C. A rapid increase in albumen alkalinity was observed even after just 2 d of storage regardless of the storage temperature. Interactions between storage time and temperature were significant (p<0.001) with respect to egg weight loss, egg shell weight and percentage, albumen weight and percentage, yolk weight and percentage, albumen and yolk pH, HU, and yolk color. The results of the current study indicated that eggs from laying hens at peak production had significant deterioration of internal quality with increasing storage temperature and time. The results suggest that egg weight loss, albumen pH, and HU are parameters that are greatly influenced by the storage temperature and time of eggs from hens at peak laying.