INFLUENCE OF RAISING METHOD ON THE QUALITY OF HEN EGGS

The aim of this work was to evaluate the quality of hen eggs available on the Tri-City market, coming from conventional and organic raising. The parameters required by the regulation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of December 29 th , 2003 concerning analytical methods of hen eggs were determined, along with weight proportion of egg components, their pH, condition and index of egg white dense, flattening and index of yolk. Of the examined eggs originated from conventional raising, 38% were classified as class A eggs, 60% as class B eggs and 2% as class C eggs. An opposite proportion was observed for organic eggs, i.e. class A eggs dominated (64%), whereas 32% of the examined eggs were class B eggs and 4% class C eggs. The size of air cell in organic eggs ranged from 2 to 5 mm, while in the conventional eggs the average was 4.3 mm. In this case, a statistically significant correlation was detected between both types of eggs. The examined eggs differed in weight and percent distribution of specific components. Mean acidity of yolk and white of the examined eggs coming from hen-run raising accounted for pH = 6.8 and pH = 9.1, respectively, whereas for eggs from the conventional raising - for pH = 6.6 and pH = 9.25, respectively. Mean dense white index was 0.38 for organic eggs and 0.11 for conventional eggs, whereas yolk index was 0.46 and 0.41, respectively. Hen raising method had a statistically significant influence on white index, yolk index and pH of yolk.