A Comparison of Different Methods of Preserving Shell Eggs

AS THE industry moves toward a program of non-storage eggs the year around, methods of preserving the quality of shell eggs during marketing becomes paramount. The use of oil treatment, carbon dioxide atmosphere, thermostabilization or plastic treatment has been suggested by various investigators (Evans and Carver, 1942; Sharp and Stewart, 1931; Funk, 1943; and Yushok and Romanoff, 1949, respectively). However, a direct comparison of the relative efficiency of these methods under varying seasonal and storage conditions has not been made. Flavor is one of the most important factors in consumer acceptability of shell eggs. Few preservation studies, however, have included flavor as a method of evaluation. Mallman and Davidson (1944) and Shenstone and Vickery (1957) reported that oil coatings did not retard the onset of stale flavors during storage. Sauter, Harns, Stadelman and McLaren (1954) found no significant differences in the flavor of fresh eggs produced in the different seasons.…