Abstract:
Eggs are considered highly nutritious food in the human diet but the poor quality and safety of eggs is a major public health hazard globally. The present research was conducted with the aim to evaluate the quality and safety aspects of conventional and organic eggs from different markets in Lahore, Pakistan. In this study, 12 egg samples were randomly collected from different supermarkets and bakeries in Lahore. The quality attributes of eggs were evaluated including the egg weight, egg shape, eggshell appearance, egg yolk index, Haugh's unit, and albumen freshness, and graded as per the standards recommended by USDA. Moreover, collected egg samples were also evaluated for microbial contamination using total plate count media and selective media. The results were statistically analyzed by using the paired comparison t-test, correlation, and univariate analysis (p< 0.05). From the quality point of view, the majority of egg samples collected from supermarkets including conventional and organic eggs were found to be of poor exterior and interior quality. The t-test showed a significant difference between the mean values of the weight of the conventional and organic eggs (p = 0.00) showing the availability of poor quality and low-grade eggs in markets. Based on the safety evaluation, 10 out of 12 egg samples were highly contaminated with microbes. The results indicated that the eggs available in markets of Lahore were highly contaminated and also compromised USDA quality standards (p< 0.05). The availability of poor-quality eggs indicates the poor implementation of food regulations and lack of training programs for farmers or workers.
Page(s):
133-133
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: International Food & Nutrition Conference" August 18th-20th, 2022, University of Swat, Swat (Book of Abstracts), Volume: 1, Issue: 1, Year: 2022
Keywords:
Quality
,
Safety
,
Bacterial contamination
,
USDA standards
,
Conventional and organic eggs