The Influence of Metallic Cations on the Penetration of the Egg Shell Membranes by Pseudomonas Fluorescens

Abstract

BACTERIAL spoilage of shell eggs is a serious economic problem as well as a public health hazard. As evident by extensive literature reviews by Hadley and Caldwell (1916) and Lorenz et al. (1952), the problem of microbial infection of shell eggs has been recognized and investigated over a period of years going back into the 1700’s. However, a basic understanding of factors which permit bacterial entry into the shell egg still needs elucidation.The major source of bacteria in shell eggs has been found to originate from external contamination rather than from an internal infection of the egg contents (Stuart and McNally, 1943). They reported that the shell and shell membranes were the major barriers to bacterial penetration into the egg. The shell membranes were reported to form a mechanical restraint against microorganisms by Walden et al. (1956). Kraft et al. (1958) reported that the shell without its membranes did …