Abstract
The chicken egg is a well-known complete food of human daily consumption which serves as a cost-effective, high-quality nutrient resource. About 30% of table eggs are directed to breaker plants in developed countries, leading to the generation of substantial eggshell (ES) waste, which is increasingly explored for potential value-added applications. The number of patents describing ES-based applications has increased dramatically in recent years. This review provides insight into the most recent patents published between 2015 and 2020, with focus on different engineering technologies for the screening, separation, and processing of ES. Screening technologies include detection of ES surface spots and glossiness, ES cracks, and mechanical properties, along with identification of chicken breed and enumeration of surface bacterial count. Collection and separation technologies describe separation strategies of ES from egg white (EW), egg yolk (EY), liquid egg, eggshell membrane (ESM), hatchlings, and cooked egg. Separation of ES from liquid eggs utilizes gravity, rotational forces, or air pressure. Processing of ES involves washing and sterilization along with cutting, crushing, and pulverization technologies that enable the collection of ES suitable for value-added applications. In addition, ES carving (mechanical and laser) opens up the realm of artwork and decoration. Furthermore, intact ES can be utilized for food serving. The exponential increase in innovative screening, separation, collection, and processing technologies reflects industrial interest to upscale low-value ES waste material, and is a first crucial step in the emergence of advanced technologies that exploit the biomedical, chemical, engineering, and environmental applications for ES.
Highlights
The calcareous avian egg represents the most advanced amniotic egg in oviparous vertebrates and comprises multiple layers that originate from different oviduct segments (Hincke et al, 2012)
Signals generated after egg tapping are recorded by a microphone and analyzed using Fast Fourier transform (FFT) spectrum analysis
The audio signal produced by a small ball briefly bouncing on the ES surface is analyzed to determine whether ES surface is intact (De Ketelaere et al, 2018)
Summary
The calcareous avian egg represents the most advanced amniotic egg in oviparous vertebrates and comprises multiple layers that originate from different oviduct segments (Hincke et al, 2012). In the last 5 years, various patented inventions have been developed to monitor ES quality, including detection of cracks and black spots, determination of breaking strength, assessment of bacterial contamination, and ES surface glossiness. Quality control of these characteristics is essential for food safety and maintenance of consumer satisfaction. The refitting device, in combination with the scanner, enables the detection of ES surface dark spot numbers and their area via image analysis (Ye et al, 2020) Another patent describes a modification of a vancometer (Glossmeter) to measure ES surface glossiness, which is a good indicator of freshness and quality.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
