Internal quality of commercial eggs stored under conditions that simulate storage from laying to consumption

This study evaluated the effects on the internal quality of eggs of various storage environments through which eggs may pass between being laid and being consumed. Commercial eggs (N = 648) from Dekalb White hens were used. Treatments consisted of T1: 28 days at 4 °C; T2: 28 days at 20 °C; T3: 7 days at room temperature (27 °C ± 2 °C) (humidity 55%) and 21 days at 4 °C; T4: 7 days at room temperature and 21 days at 20 °C; T5: 14 days at room temperature and 14 days at 4 °C; T6: 14 days at room temperature and 14 days at 20 °C; T7: 21 days at room temperature and 7 days at 4 °C; T8: 21 days at room temperature and 7 days at 20 °C; and T9: 28 days at room temperature. The characteristics that were evaluated consisted of Haugh unit (HU), yolk index (YI), colour (L*, a* and b*), albumen pH, yolk pH and lipid oxidation. Eggs stored 28 days were darker (L*), and had greater yolk pH and lipid oxidation than fresh eggs. Eggs stored under T1 and T3 conditions had greater HU and YI than eggs stored in the other environments. The albumin pH of eggs stored at room temperature (T9) was highest of the treatments. Yellowness was increased in eggs stored under T4, T6, T8, and T9 conditions. Eggs should be stored under refrigeration as this promotes maintenance of internal quality and mitigates negative effects of previous storage conditions

Alternatives to the use of antibiotics for laying hens in growing phase

This study evaluated the performance, immune response to vaccination, digestive organs, intestinal histomorphometry, and microbiological development in the diet and litter of Isa Brown strains at growing receiving phase alternative additives in the place of antibiotics. Four treatments were arrayed in a completely randomized design: T1) Basal diet without antibiotics, T2) Basal diet with antibiotics, T3) Basal diet with probiotics, and T4) Basal diet without antibiotics and water modified by a photoelectron generator. There were six replications of eight birds each and thus a total of 192 birds. Performance was evaluated for eight weeks and during this period blood samples were collected at 9, 12 and 15 weeks of age for serological evaluation. At the end of the experimental period, 24 birds were euthanized, collecting the intestinal tract and later performing histomorphometry. Microbiological analyses were performed in the experimental diets and in the material of the litter of the boxes. The results obtained were analyzed by analysis of variance and the contrast between treatment means when significant by Tukey’s test. The results indicate that the replacement of antibiotics with T3 or T4 did not interfere negatively (P >0.05) in the performance of the birds, immunological response, viscera analyses and intestinal histomorphometry. In addition, use of T3 and T4 might lead to more rapid decomposition of excreta and reduce antibiotic residue in the soil when the litter is used in crop production.Keywords: dileka, Gallus domesticus, histomorphometry, laying hens, probiotics, serum biochemistry, wate

Qualidade interna de diferentes tipos de ovos comercializados durante o inverno e o verão

Objetivou-se no presente estudo avaliar a qualidade interna de ovos brancos e vermelhos, comercializados durante o inverno e o verão, no estado de São Paulo. Para tal análise, utilizaram-se ovos classificados como tamanho grande, e a avaliação da qualidade interna realizada por meio das seguintes variáveis: massa média do ovo, gravidade específica, unidade Haugh, índice de gema, coloração da gema e incidência de partículas estranhas nos ovos. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente ao acaso, em fatorial 2 x 2 (cor da casca x épocas do ano), sendo as cores da casca: branca e vermelha, e as épocas do ano: inverno e verão. Verificou-se que, no verão, foram obtidos os menores valores de massa média do ovo, de unidade Haugh e de índice de gema, o que evidencia maior perda da qualidade do produto, provavelmente devido às elevadas temperaturas, comparativamente ao inverno. Entretanto, durante o inverno, foram observados ovos contendo discos germinativos fecundados. Conclui-se que os ovos comercializados no Vale do Ribeira, SP, apresentaram baixa qualidade e, portanto, estavam impróprios ao consumo e à industrialização