The present study was conducted to investigate whether effects of wholesaler and consumer conditions on egg quality parameters in summer and winter seasons. Two experiments were carried out with a total of 360 eggs obtained from Lohman Brown hens 44 weeks old age in summer and with a total of 360 eggs obtained from 76 weeks of age same chickens in winter. The quality criteria were evaluated the eggs stored under different temperature conditions. Eggs were divided into two groups in each season. The groups were stored in wholesaler conditions (28Cº summer, 21Cº winter) and consumer conditions (+ 4Cº) for 4 weeks. External and internal quality traits of eggs were measured weekly. Egg weight, shape index, breaking strength, albumin index, yolk index, Haugh unit (HU), shell weight, and albumin pH value were measured.
The results of the experiment, egg weight loss increased linearly with storage time. These weight losses were higher in summer and wholesale condition. According to the both experiments breaking strength, shell weight and shape index were not affected by storage conditions, but albumin index, yolk index and Haugh unit were also affected by storage conditions and different season (P <0.01). The pH of the eggs which stored in the wholesaler conditions were found higher than that stored in consumer eggs conditions in both seasons. Internal quality characteristics were influenced by the storage temperature during the storage period in both seasons.
As a result, egg qualities which are stored in the consumer conditions were similarly determined in summer and winter season. The results suggest that eggs which are stored wholesaler conditions can be safely consume for one week of storage in summer time whereas egg of shelf life was elongated until two weeks of storage in winter time
