Quality Characteristics of Eggs from Hens Indexed for Lysozyme Content of Egg White

Abstract

ABSTPACTOne hundred White Leghorn hens in each of two experiments were divided into two groups based on lysozyme content (negative moving fraction at pH 8.5) of the thick egg white. Paper electrophoresis was used to index 260 pullets for experiment 1 and 100 pullets in experiment 2. Fifty birds producing eggs of the highest and 50 with the lowest lysozyme content were used for egg quality studies in each experiment. Data were obtained on an individual hen basis for interior quality of fresh eggs, in Haugh units (H.U.), quality loss during storage, egg weight, shell quality and percent solids of albumen and yolk. Haugh unit values of fresh eggs were similar for high and low lysozyme eggs in both experiments. Differences in shell quality, egg weight and solids content of albumen were not significantly different in either experiment. Quality losses during storage were significantly different in both experiments. Quality losses during storage were significantly (P<.05) greater for eggs of low lysozyme content, 43 H.U. as compared to 34 H.U. for high lysozyme eggs. Differences in quality loss were particularly noticeable during the first two weeks of storage, 5 H.U. for high lysozyme eggs and 13 H.U. for eggs of low lysozyme content.Differences in solids content of egg yolks were statistically significant (P<.05) averaging 50.74% for high lysozyme eggs and 50.19% for eggs low in lysozyme. Egg production was excellent for all groups and averaged 82.2% for the two experiments.

Isolation of Lysozyme from Hen Egg Albumen by Alcohol‐Insoluble Cross‐Linked Pea Pod Solid Ion‐Exchange Chromatography

“…However, some of the Gram-negative strains such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhosa are also sensitive to lysozyme. Sauter and Petersen (1972) found that high lysozyme contents prolonged egg quality. Eggs with high lysozyme contents exhibited better foam stability, fertility, and hatchability than did those with low lysozyme contents.…”