title: Effect of egg washing on the cuticle quality of brown and white table eggs.
abstract: Egg washing is currently not permitted within the European Union, with few exceptions. This is mainly because there are concerns that cuticle damage could occur during or after the washing process, as a result of a suboptimal operation. In this study, the cuticle coverage levels of  400 washed or unwashed eggs, derived from either a brown or a white egg-laying flock at the end of lay, were compared. The eggs from older hens inherently have poorer cuticle coverage and as a result arguably constitute a greater risk to consumer safety if they are then washed. Thus,  the effects of the washing procedure used in this study on cuticle quality were tested under the worst-case scenario. A standard Swedish egg washing process was used. The cuticle coverage of the eggs was assessed by a colorimeter by quantifying the color difference before and after staining  with Tartrazine and Green S. The cuticle of an additional 30 eggs from each of the four groups was then visually assessed by scanning electron microscopy. The staining characteristics of the cuticle varied greatly within each group of eggs and showed that the washing process did not lead to  cuticle damage. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that there was no irreversible damage to the cuticle of the washed eggs and that it was not possible to correctly assign the treatment (washed or not) based on a visual assessment. In conclusion, no evidence could be found to suggest that  the washing procedure used in this investigation irreversibly changed the quality of the cuticle.
authors: Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Technology and Food Science Unit, Brusselsesteenweg 370, 9090 Melle, Belgium. saskia.leleu@ilvo.vlaanderen.be
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Leleu
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Messens
authors: K
authors: K
authors: De Reu
authors: S
authors: S
authors: De Preter
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Herman
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Heyndrickx
authors: J
authors: J
authors: De Baerdemaeker
authors: C W
authors: CW
authors: Michiels
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Bain
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000662:veterinary; D003124:Colorimetry; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D004528:Egg Shell / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004531:Eggs / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning