Improving the Safety and Quality of Eggs and Egg Products: Egg Chemistry, Production and Consumption (Volume 1)

Eggs are economical and of high nutritional value, yet can also be a source of foodborne disease. Understanding of the factors influencing egg quality has increased in recent years and new technologies to assure egg safety have been developed. Improving the safety and quality of eggs and egg products reviews recent research in these areas.

Volume 1 focuses on egg chemistry, production and consumption. Part one sets the scene with information on egg production and consumption in certain countries. Part two then provides essential information on egg formation and chemistry. Factors that impact egg quality are the focus of part three. Chapters cover the role of poultry breeding, hen nutrition and laying environment, among other significant topics. Part four addresses organic and free range egg production, the impact of egg production on the environment and non-poultry eggs. A chapter on processed egg products completes the volume.

With its distinguished editors and international team of contributors, Volume 1 of Improving the safety and quality of eggs and egg products is an essential reference for managers in the egg industry, professionals in the food industry using eggs as ingredients and all those with a research interest in the subject.

Key features:

- focuses on egg chemistry, production and consumption with reference to the factors than can impact egg quality
- reviews recent research in the areas of disease, egg quality and the development of new technologies to assure egg safety
- comprehensively covers organic, free-range and processed egg production
- an essential reference for managers in the egg industry, food industry professionals using eggs and those with a research interest in the subject SHOW LESS READ MORE >

PART 1: EGG PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION

Egg and egg product production and consumption in Europe and the rest of the world
P Magdelaine, ITAVI, France
- Introduction
- Worldwide overview
- European overview
- Conclusion and future trends
- References and further reading

Social economic aspects of egg production in China
N Yang, China Agricultural University, China
- Introduction
- Historical development of egg production in China
- Current status of the Chinese egg industry
- Future trends
- References and further reading

Egg production in Africa
H M Tukur, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Nigeria
- Introduction
- Egg production
- Egg consumption, marketing and trade
- The production system
- Conclusion
- References

Profiling the egg consumer: attitudes, perceptions and behaviours
F Hansstein, University of Bologna, Italy
- Introduction
- Egg consumption: evidence from the literature
- Europe legislation between consumers and eggs
- Evidence from the trust pilot survey
- Conclusion
- References

Egg quality assurance schemes and egg traceability
F C Schwägele, Max Rubner-Institut, Germany
- The role of eggs in human nutrition
- Egg quality
- Egg traceability
- Conclusions
- References and further reading

PART 2: EGG FORMATION, CHEMISTRY AND QUALITY PARAMETERS

Egg formation and chemistry
Y Nys and N Guyot, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France
- Introduction
- Structure of the egg
- Composition of the egg
- Formation of the egg: an overview
- Formation of the egg yolk in the ovary
- Formation of the egg white and the shell in the oviduct
- Oviposition
- References

Use of high-throughput technology to identify new egg components
J Gautron, S Réhault-Godbert and Y Nys, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France, K Mann, Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, Germany and P G Righetti, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
- Introduction
- Functional genomics generated new insights for the characterisation of egg proteins
- Newly identified egg proteins
- Conclusion
- Acknowledgements
- References

The eggshell: structure and protective function
M Hincke, University of Ottawa, Canada, J Gautron and Y Nys, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France, A B Rodriguez-Navarro, University of Granada, Spain and M D McKee, McGill University, Canada
- Introduction
- Structure of eggshell 1: composition and characterization
- Structure of eggshell 2: biosynthesis and constituents
- Applications: eggshell as an industrial raw material
- Conclusions
- References

Molecules involved in chemical defence of the chicken egg
S Réhault-Godbert, V Hervé-Grépinet, J Gautron, C Cabau and Y Nys, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France and M Hincke, University of Ottawa, Canada
- Introduction
- Molecules degrading microbial components
- Molecules decreasing bioavailability of iron and vitamins
- Molecules inhibiting the activity of microbial proteases
- Immunoglobulin superfamily
- Cytokines and other mediators of immune response
- Molecules involved in protection against stress and oxidative injury
- References

Advances in egg defect detection, quality assessment and automated sorting and grading
K Mertens, B Kemps, C Perianu, J De Baerdemaeker, E Decuypere and B De Ketelaere, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium and M. Bain, University of Glasgow Veterinary School, UK
- Introduction
- Assessment of the egg shell quality
- Assessment of the internal egg quality
- Automated industrial egg sorting and grading
- Conclusions and future trends
- References

PART 3: EGG PRODUCTION AND QUALITY

Poultry breeding for egg quality: traditional and modern genetic approaches
I Dunn, University of Edinburgh, UK
- Introduction
- Selection for egg quality
- The structure of the egg, its formation and the potential for genetic improvement
- New genetic selection methodologies and their potential impact
- Conflicts in selection goals
- References

Hen nutrition for sustained egg quality
I Bouvarel, ITAVI, Y Nys and P Lescoat, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France
- Introduction
- Variations in egg weight
- Variations in the proportions of albumen and yolk
- Variations in fatty acid composition
- Variations in mineral and vitamin composition
- Variations in yolk colour and carotenoid content
- Variations in shell quality
- Conclusion
- References

Effect of hen age, moult, laying environment and egg storage on egg quality
A Travel, ITAVI, Y Nys, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France and M Bain, University of Glasgow Veterinary School, UK
- Introduction
- Egg quality and the effect of increasing bird age
- Induced moulting
- The laying environment
- Effects of egg handling and storage on egg quality
- Conclusions
- References

Egg and egg product microbiology
F Baron and S Jan, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France
- Introduction
- Egg microbiology
- Egg product microbiology
- References and further reading

Alternative hen housing systems and egg quality
M Rossi, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy and K De Reu, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Belgium
- Introduction
- External egg quality
- Interior egg quality
- Hygienic quality
- Conclusion
- References

Avian diseases which affect egg production and quality
J R Roberts, University of New England, Australia R Souillard, Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments (AFSSA) and J. Bertin, Coopérative Le Gouessant, France
- Introduction
- Effects of bacteria on egg production and quality
- Effects of viruses on egg production and quality
- Effects of syndromes on egg production and quality
- Effects of toxic agents on production and egg quality
- Clinical perspectives
- References and further reading

Parasitism in egg production systems: the role of the red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae)
O A E Sparagano, Northumbria University, UK; and A. Giangaspero, University of Foggia, Italy
- Major parasites in poultry production
- Dermanyssus gallinae: biology and behaviour
- Pathologies associated with Dermanyssus gallinae
- Acaricide treatments and consequences
- New methods to control dermanyssosis
- Conclusion
- References and further reading

Health risks for workers in egg production systems and methods of control
S Le Bouquin and A Huneau-Salaün, Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail (Anses) and B Eniafe-Eveillard, CHU A. Morvan, France
- Introduction
- Professional exposures in egg farming
- Health effects and epidemiological features in poultry worker populations
- Prevention and control of health risks
- Future trends
- Sources of further information and advice
- References
PART 4 ALTERNATIVE EGG PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND PROCESSED EGGS

Environmental sustainability of egg production and processing
M G MacLeod, University of Edinburgh, UK
- Introduction
- The ecology of sustainability
- Life cycle analysis: a mathematical framework for integrating inputs and outputs
- Organic and less intensive production
- The role of feed and nutrition
- Indirect ways of improving productivity: maintenance ratio
- Other sustainability issues
- Conclusions
- References

Organic and free-range egg production
M Hammershøj, Aarhus University, Denmark
- Introduction
- Market development of organic and free-range eggs
- Regulations on organic and free-range egg production
- Productivity of organic and free range hens
- Quality of organic and free range eggs
- Future trends
- References

Production, composition, and quality of duck eggs
J F Huang and C C Lin, Council of Agriculture, Taiwan
- Introduction
- Breeds of laying ducks
- Productive styles of laying ducks
- Duck egg composition and characteristics
- Duck egg products
- Factors affecting quality of duck eggs
- Conclusion
- References

Production and quality of quail, pheasant, geese and turkey eggs for uses other than human consumption
A Tserveni-Goussi and P Fortomaris, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
- Introduction
- Uses of non table eggs
- Non table egg production, composition and quality
- Other quality characteristics
- Conclusion
- References

Processed egg products
V Lechevalier, T Croguennec, M Anton and F Nau, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France
- Introduction: industrial egg products
- Industrial production of liquid egg products
- Egg product dehydration
- Alternative technologies for egg product stabilization
- Egg product functionality and use as an ingredient
- Speciality egg products
- References

Dr Yves Nys is a Research Leader in the Poultry Research Unit at the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France.

Dr Maureen Bain is Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, UK.

Prof. Filip Van Immerseel leads a research group in the Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases at the Ghent University, Belgium.