Effects of prestorage application of gum arabic coating on the quality of table eggs during storage

Abstract

Th e aim of this study was to investigate the eff ect of gum arabic coating on the quality characteristics of table eggs during 28 days of storage at 4°C and 25°C. Treatments were compared in a 2 x 4 factorial design with two diff erent storage temperatures (4°C and 25°C) and five prestorage coating applications (control, 1% gum arabic (G1), 5% gum arabic (G5), and 10% gum arabic (G10) solution). Egg quality characteristics that were measured included weight loss, specific gravity, shell strength, Haugh unit, yolk index, and albumen pH. Th e eggs coated with 10% gum arabic solution had the lowest egg weight loss (2.71%), and albumen pH (9.18), and the highest egg specific gravity (1.057 g/cm3) at the end of storage (P<0.05). During the storage period, there were no significant diff erences between gum arabic coated and control eggs for shell strength, Haugh unit or yolk index. Eggs stored at 4°C for 28 days had a lower weight loss (1.86 %) and albumen pH (9.15), and higher egg specific gravity (1.068 g/cm3), Haugh unit (69.96) and yolk index (0.41) than eggs stored at 25°C. Th e results suggest that applying a 10% gum arabic coating to eggs before they are stored might be a simple and eff ective way to keep them fresh.

Keywords

• coating
• egg quality
• gum arabic
• storage
• table eggs