Application of chitosan for improvement of quality and shelf life of table eggs under tropical room conditions.

The current investigation was conducted to study
the effectiveness of chitosan coating in preserving the internal
quality of table eggs stored under tropical room conditions of
32±1 °C and 60–70 % r. h. Internal, physical and microbiological
quality of eggs coated with chitosan was evaluated
during 5-week storage at different temperature (22±1 and
32±1 °C). Chitin was extracted from shrimp processing raw
byproducts and deacetylated to high quality chitosan. The
prepared chitosan was analyzed for its characteristic properties.
The chitosan with a viscosity of 2206 mPa.S was used to
prepare the coating solution. The weight loss, Haugh unit, and
yolk index values suggested that coating of eggs with shrimp
α-chitosan increased the shelf life of eggs by almost 4-week at
22±1 °C and 3-week at 32±1 °C compared with controls (non
chitosan coated and acetic acid coated) eggs. Three-time repeated
coating was more effective in preserving the internal
quality and preventing weight loss than with single-time coating
of chitosan on egg. Therefore, three-time coating of eggs
with 2206 mPa.S chitosan offer a protective barrier for preserving
the internal quality of eggs stored at tropical room
conditions and concomitantly prevent contamination with
microorganisms.