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Abstract
The bacterial load on the eggshell surface is a key factor in predicting the bacterial penetration and contamination of the egg interior. The eggshell cuticle is the first line of defense against vertical penetration by microbial food-borne pathogens such as Salmonella Enteritidis. Egg producers are increasingly introducing alternative caging systems into their production chain as animal welfare concerns become of greater relevance to today’s consumer. Stress that is introduced by hen aggression and modified nesting behavior in furnished cages can alter the physiology of egg formation and affect the cuticle deposition/quality. The goal of this study was to determine the impact of caging systems (conventional, enriched, free-run, and free-range), on eggshell cuticle parameters and the eggshell bacterial load. The cuticle plug thickness and pore length were higher in the free-range eggs as compared to conventional eggs. The eggshells from alternative caging (enriched and free-range) had a higher total cuticle as compared to conventional cages. A reduction in bacterial cell counts was observed on eggshells that were obtained from free-range eggs as compared to the enriched systems. An inverse correlation between the contact angle and Salmonella adherence was observed. These results indicate that the housing systems of layer hens can modify the cuticle quality and thereby impact bacterial adherence and food safety.
Highlights
IntroductionTable eggs are a readily available and inexpensive source of protein in the human diet
The pore plugs in the eggshells from all of the housing systems were cone-shaped to conform to the funnel shape of the mouth of each respiratory pore (Figure 1A)
Image analysis revealed that the pore plugs in the shells from the free-range eggs were significantly deeper/longer (34.74 ± 7.50 μm) than those from the conventional system
Summary
Table eggs are a readily available and inexpensive source of protein in the human diet. The Canadian egg industry produces approximately 10 billion eggs. In the United States, about 97 billion table eggs were produced in 2020, with an average production of 286 eggs/layer hen [2]. Conventional cages are the most common production system for table eggs; due to hen welfare concerns, many countries have supplemented/replaced conventional cages with alternative systems [3,4]. Consumers, egg producers, legislators, consumer groups, as well as animal welfare organizations have shown an increased interest in the retail egg production system [3]. An analysis of a report on caging systems (2007 to 2021), that was published by the United
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