The Effect of Temperature and Storage Duration on The Quality of Arabian Chicken Table Eggs

Effect of Storage Temperature and Time on The Quality of Eggs from An Arabian Chicken

Abstract

The limited supply of local chicken eggs creates a market opportunity for Arab chicken eggs, as they closely resemble native eggs in shape, size, and shell color, making them difficult to distinguish. This study aimed to evaluate the quality changes of Arab chicken eggs stored under refrigeration (4–7 °C) and room temperature (20–25 °C). An experimental randomized block design was applied with four treatments: refrigerated eggs placed on trays (K1) and stacked in baskets (K2), and eggs stored at room temperature on trays (K3) and in baskets (K4). Quality parameters measured included egg weight, air cell height, yolk index (YI), albumen index (AI), and Haugh unit (HU). Five eggsfrom each treatment group were examined every 5 days over a 45-day storage period, totaling 200 eggs. Results
revealed significant differences (P < 0.05) in all quality parameters over time. Eggs stored under refrigeration maintained quality significantly longer (P<0.05) compared with those stored at room temperature. However, placement on trays versus stacking in baskets showed no significant effect (P>0.05). These findings suggest that temperature and storage duration are crucial factors affecting egg quality, with refrigeration effectively preserving the quality of Arab chicken eggs.