The Science of Egg Quality
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Technical Update THE SCIENCE OF EGG QUALITY “I think if required on pain of death to Yolk size is an important measure to egg name the most perfect thing in processors because 70% of the egg solids are the universe, I should risk contained in the yolk. The color of the yolk is my fate on the bird’s egg” another important quality characteristic of eggs for consumers and commercial customers. Yolk —T.S. Higginson, 1863 color is completely determined by the types and amounts of pigments, either natural or synthetic, EGG QUALITY in the hen’s feed and the ability of the hen to absorb and assimilate these pigments. Therefore A good quality fresh egg yolk color is not an important trait for selection has an elliptical shape by genetic companies. with a clean, smooth and shiny shell surface. The Infundibulum eggshell is free of cracks and other defects. In white The primary function of the funnel-shaped egg varieties, the shell color infundibulum is to capture the yolk at the is uniformly pure white; while moment of ovulation from the ovary. The first in brown egg varieties the shell layer of thick albumen surrounding the yolk is appears uniformly dark brown. After secreted in the infundibulum. The precursors to breaking the egg and placing the contents on a the chalazae are also added in the infundibulum. flat surface, the albumen has a clear or slightly The chalazae are twisted albumen strands at opaque, jelly-like stacked-up appearance and either pole of the egg and function to anchor should be free of inclusions (meat and blood the yolk in the center of the egg. The egg spends spots). An intact yolk is a uniform bright yellow only 15 to 30 minutes in the infundibulum before to orange color and anchored in the center of the passing into the magnum. egg by the chalazae which are not excessively large. The egg contents are free of odor and Magnum microorganism contamination. The largest portion of the oviduct is the magnum, where the albumen or “egg white” is REPRODUCTIVE TRACT OF THE HEN added around the yolk. The albumen portion of the egg surrounding the yolk is in four distinct The reproductive tract in the hen is called the layers made of thin, watery albumen (outer thin oviduct. Females of many species of animals albumen layer and inner thin albumen layer) have two functional oviducts; however, in birds or thick, semi-solid albumen (chalaziferous only the left oviduct develops. The time for albumen and inner thick albumen layers). egg formation in the oviduct is approximately The thick albumen makes up the greatest 24 to 28 hours, from ovulation to egg laying proportion of the albumen. Egg albumen (oviposition). constitutes roughly 60% of the whole egg and contains over 40 different proteins. The major Ovary albumen proteins are ovalbumin, ovotransferrin, The developing ovum (yolk) grows and matures ovomucoid and ovoglobulins. Ovomucin, a within follicles on the ovary. The follicle, when fibrous protein, is important for albumen quality, mature, ruptures and releases the ovum into the because it tightly holds the albumen into a gel, oviduct (ovulation). Ovulation usually occurs giving it form and substance. within minutes of the hen laying the previous egg. The yolk undergoes no further development after ovulation. Technical Update – THE SCIENCE OF EGG QUALITY REPRODUCTIVE TRACT EGGSHELL FORMATION Germinal disc OVARY FOLLICLES Yolk (ovum) Germinal disc Vitelline membrane Chalazae INFUNDIBULUM Inner thick (chalaziferous layer) Yolk MAGNUM ALBUMEN Germinal disc Vitelline membrane Outer thin Outer thick Chalazae Inner thin Inner thick Yolk (chalaziferous layer) ALBUMEN Germinal disc Vitelline membrane Outer thin Outer thick ISTHMUS Chalazae SHELL Inner shell membrane Inner thin Inner thick Outer shell membrane (chalaziferous layer) Yolk Germinal disc Vitelline membrane ALBUMEN SHELL UTERUS Outer thin Cuticle (SHELL GLAND) Outer thick Chalazae Air cell Inner shell Inner thin membrane Outer shell Photo courtesty of Inner thick Yolk membrane John Anderson (chalaziferous layer) The Ohio State University © Hy-Line International PAGE 2 Technical Update – THE SCIENCE OF EGG QUALITY A good quality, fresh egg is associated with Vagina albumen that is compact, “stacked up” with The vagina plays no role in the development of the gel-like appearance. Watery albumen is the egg. The egg is held in the vagina until the disliked by consumers and associated with an hen has nested and is ready to lay the egg. egg that is old. The amount of thick albumen is greatest when the egg is laid and then slowly The Reproductive Tract begins breaking down into thin albumen by the action of the enzyme lysozyme. Factors Length Egg Formation Time affecting the rate that thick albumen is converted Infundibulum 10 cm 15-30 minutes to thin albumen are the age of the egg and the Magnum 30 cm 2-3 hours temperature during egg storage. Also, thick albumen decreases with advancing age of Isthmus 10 cm 1 hour the hen. Some diseases affecting the oviduct Uterus 8 cm 18–20 hours such as Infectious Bronchitis and Egg Drop Syndrome can decrease thick albumen, as can LAYERS OF THE EGGSHELL general stress. The amount of thick albumen can be increased through genetic selection and Shell Membrane significant differences between commercial The shell membranes are added to the egg in varieties exist. the isthmus section of the oviduct. The calcified shell is formed on the egg membrane. Defects Isthmus in the shell membrane or failure to “plump” the This region of the oviduct is where the shell albumen will cause defective calcification, poor membranes (inner and outer) are added to the structure and shell weakness. developing egg. In the isthmus, specialized structures called mammillary bodies are Mammillary Layer secreted onto shell membranes. These structures Within the isthmus, mammillary bodies develop are important in the calcification of the eggshell. on the egg membrane. These bodies are firmly anchored into the outer shell membrane and Uterus are important in initiating the shell calcification The uterus is also known as the shell gland process. Mammillary bodies should form a and is the site of eggshell formation. As the continuous sheet, covering the entire shell egg leaves the isthmus, the shell membranes membrane. The distribution of mammillary are slack and wrinkled. The shell membranes bodies is under genetic control. Problems with are made tight as the egg enters the uterus by this layer will result in poorly organized shell a process called “plumping”. Water is pumped structure and weakness in shell strength. through the egg membranes into the albumen. The albumen volume is doubled during the Organic Matrix Layer “plumping” process, giving the egg its final Within the uterus, shell calcification begins with shape. Pulling the shell membrane tight and the production of a matrix of protein fibers by the removing wrinkles is critical for proper shell mammillary bodies. The organic matrix is found architecture and optimizing the transfer of throughout the crystal layer of the shell and calcium during shell formation. “Plumping” of provides a latticework where the crystallization of albumen is decreased with the hen’s age and calcium salts occurs during eggshell creation. The from some diseases such as Infectious Bronchitis organic matrix gives the shell added strength by and Egg Drop Syndrome. properly orienting the calcium crystals to form a The high blood flow within the uterus is palisade (columnar) architecture. The protein essential to the transfer of large amounts of fibers of the organic matrix are generally oriented calcium to the egg. Typically, 2 to 3 grams of parallel to the shell membrane surface and gives calcium are added during eggshell formation. the eggshell its elasticity and shock resistance. Calcium and carbonate ions from the blood are Problems with the formation of the organic matrix transferred to uterine fluid that bathes the outer will negatively impact shell strength, even with eggshell membrane. Calcium is transported to adequate shell thickness. Shells with a poorly the egg at a rate of 300 milligrams per hour. formed organic matrix layer will be more “brittle” and prone to breakage. PAGE 3 Technical Update – THE SCIENCE OF EGG QUALITY Structure of the Eggshell Pores Cuticle Shell pigment layer Vertical crystal layer Crystalline palisade layer (Organic matrix layer) Mammillary layer Shell membrane Egg interior - albumen © Hy-Line International Mammillary bodies Crystalline Palisade Layer Pigment Layer The crystalline layer is made of densely packed Eggshell pigments are deposited into the shell crystals of calcium in the form of palisades. These at the end of the shell calcification process. palisades of calcium crystals are oriented The colors of brown and white eggshells are perpendicular to the shell surface for added both results of the same pigments deposited strength. The palisades eventually become fused at different rates within the cuticle and outer together into a proteo-ceramic as shell thickness calcified layers of the shell. Eggshell colors increases. The majority of crystals are calcium in commercial layers range from pure white carbonate (96%) with small amounts of through “cream tinted” to “brown tinted” magnesium carbonate and tricalcium phosphate to brown. The wide variations in shell colors crystals. Magnesium is important to add are due to combinations of light hues. The hardness to the shell structure. The crystalline major shell pigments are protoporphyrin layer makes up the greatest proportion of the and biliverdin, which are produced during shell thickness and provides mechanical strength. the metabolism of hemoglobin, the oxygen The amount of shell deposited on eggs is carrying molecule in red blood cells. These determined by the time spent in the uterus (shell pigments are transported in the blood from the gland) and the rate of calcium transfer via uterine liver to the uterus.