Quality of eggs coated with oil-chitosan emulsion: Combined effects of emulsifier types, initial albumen quality, and storage

- Mineral oil:chitosan (25:75) emulsions were used as egg coating materials.
- Two initial albumen qualities (H = high and L = low Haugh unit) were evaluated.
- Coated H-eggs preserved an A-grade for >4 weeks at 25 °C and 20 weeks at 4 °C.
- Weight loss of all coated eggs remained below 1.35% after 5 weeks storage at 25 °C.
- Emulsifier types marginally affected egg internal quality stored at 25 °C and 4 °C.

Effects of mineral oil:chitosan (MO:CH at 25:75) emulsions prepared with four different emulsifiers (2 water- and 2 oil-miscible) as coatings on the internal quality (weight loss, Haugh unit, yolk index, and albumen pH) of coated eggs were evaluated during 5 weeks at 25 ± 2 °C and 20 weeks at 4 ± 2 °C. Eggs with two initial albumen qualities [Haugh unit (HU): H = 87.8 and L = 70.9] were used. At 25 ± 2 °C, Haugh unit, yolk index, and albumen pH of all coated eggs decreased with increased storage time. Coated H- and L-eggs maintained an A-grade up to 4 weeks and 1 week, respectively. Weight loss of all coated eggs remained below 1.35% after 5 weeks of storage at 25 ± 2 °C. All coated eggs maintained an A-grade with less than 2.5% weight loss during 20 weeks of storage at 4 ± 2 °C. Emulsifier types marginally affected the internal quality of coated eggs regardless of storage temperatures.