1. NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & FISHERIES (DAFF)
MATLOU B. SETATI
BTECH FOOD TECHNOLOGY ( )
NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & FISHERIES (DAFF)
The effects of egg production methods on quality characteristics and the price of retail hen eggs.

2. INTRODUCTION & MOTIVATION
Figure 1 Battery Chicken laying eggs -Source: World poultry
Figure 3 Typical Egg label
Figure 2 Home Chicken laying eggs -Source: World poultry
Figure 4 Free Range Chicken laying eggs -Source: World poultry

3. INTRODUCTION & MOTIVATION
General consumer issues of concern, include:
Production claims (free range, organic, cage/battery and home grown).
Feed claims (e.g. Grain fed eggs, canola fed)
Nutrition claims (e.g. high in Omega 3, selenium enriched).
Microbiological safety of eggs produced using different production methods (free range, organic, cage/battery and home grown).
The price of eggs produced by different methods
R8.99 for 6 cage eggs versus R17.99 for 6 canola eggs or R14.99 Woolies free range!

4. OBJECTIVES
To conduct a market study to compared the price of eggs produced using different production methods.
To determine the effect of different egg production methods (cage, free range and household reared hen eggs) on the physical, nutritional and microbial quality of hen’s eggs.
To determine the effect of different egg production methods on the sensory quality of (in-shelled, raw and boiled) hen’s eggs.

5. MATERIALS & METHODS
Egg collection
60 eggs from (cage, free range and home grown) production methods were collected.
Retailers: Pick ‘n Pay, Spar, Checkers, Shoprite, Woolworths (cage and free range)
Suppliers (cage and free range): House brands, Farmhouse, Alzu, Eggspert, Weldhagen, Nulaid e.t.c. (All around Pretoria)
Home grown: Celia and Richards Home farms
(Cape Town)-

6. Figure 6 Methods/Experimental Design to be used in this study

7. MATERIALS & METHODS
Figure 7 Texture Analyser (2mm needle probe) was used to measure shell strength
Figure 8 Roche colour Fan to determine egg yolk colour
Figure 9 Fat extraction, Marjonnier flasks (petroleum ether extraction)

8. Figure 10 Form used during sensory evaluation
(5 point hedonic scale: Preference)

9. Results and Discussions
Market research
Physical analysis
Chemical analysis
Microbial analysis
Sensory Evaluation

10. MARKET RESEARCH
Table 1 Retail price eggs (R/ 6 eggs (Large-Grade 1)) produced using different production methods, feed and with nutritional claims.
Classes of
retail eggs
PnP
Checkers
Woolies
Spar
Home grown 1
Home grown 2
Cage
R12.49 
R9.49 #
 R9.99
R14.99 
 R8.99
R9.49# -
Free Range
R13.99
R9.99#
R11.99
R12.99
R14.39#
R15.99 
 R10.99
Home Grown
R11.00
R10.80
Organic
Canola
R14.79
Omega enriched
 R17.99
Selenium Enriched
R13.99 
Pasteurised Eggs
 R14.99
PnP
Checkers
Woolworths
Homegrown online
Cage
R XXX / 6 eggs
Free Range
Organic
Home Grown
N/A
- means- Not Available, # means - House Brand

11. Hedonic Scale: 1-Dislike very much, 2-dislike slightly, 3-Neither dislike , nor like, 4- like slightly, 5 like very much
Figure 11 Price Preference

12. Table 2 Survey monkey questionnaire & results
Survey Monkey -
Online survey: Create survey questionnaires, collect & analyse data
Results of the survey
Total People Responded 61
Gender: %
Male 45
Female 55
Race:
Black
96.7
White
3.3
Age Group:
18-20
1.6
21-29
31.1
30-39
60.7
40-49
50-59
60 or older
Best Eggs
Free Range
13.1
Organic
14.8
Cage
Home Produced 18
Doesn’t matter (an egg is an egg)
62.3
Purchasing Influence by:
Price Influenced purchaser
72.1
Type of Production influenced purchaser
27.9
Gender
Male
Female
Race
Black
Indian
White
Coloured
Age group
17 or younger
18-20
30-39
40-49
50-59
60 or older
What influences your egg purchasing decision
Price
Type pf production method)
Which of the eggs do you thinks are the best ( Nutritionally and taste)
Free range
Organic
Battery/Cage
Home Produced
Does not matter (an egg is an egg)
Table 2 Survey monkey questionnaire & results

13. Figure 12 Facebook Survey of egg yolk preference.
(1- Home grown, 2- Free range, 3- Cage eggs.)

14. A. Cage
B. Free Range
C. Home Produced
Figure 13 Photos of packed eggs from different retailers & producers

15. Label evaluation Label claims:
Produced by free roaming hens fed on a vegetarian diet of natural grains, sunflower and pulses.
No fishmeal or other animal byproducts were included in their feed.
Fed on a diet free of antibiotics, hormones and animal derived protein.
Grain fed
Organic selenium enriched
No hormones
No colourants
Natural
Indigenous chickens
Pasteurised
Omega enriched
Figure 14 Egg containers labels.

16. B. Free Range Eggs
A. Cage Eggs
Cage
C. Home Grown Eggs
Figure 15 Photos indicating the shell colour of eggs from different production methods.

17. Egg Grading
Table 3 Grading evaluation of eggs (sample of 60 eggs) as per Regulation R.725 of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries (DAFF)
Cleanliness
Eggs
Weight
L (51-59g)
Shell colour
Grass
Faeces
Cracks
Feathers
Cage
52.7g (±1.1)
Brown -
on 2 eggs
Free Range
54.3g (±2.5)
Light brown
Home grown *
60.6g (±5.4)
Light brown to whitish
Visible
Means None
* Means Mixed sizes

18. Table 4 Phosphorus, Calcium and Force(Newton), of egg shells from different production methods
(mg/100 g shell)
% Calcium
Shell strength (Force, N)
Cage
0.08 (±0.01)
30.4 (±0.7)
3.1 (±1.1)
Free Range
0.07 (±0.01)
30.0 (±0.6)
3.3 (±1.0)
Home Grown
0.1 (±0.01)
33.0 (±0.02)
3.0 (±0.8)

19. A. Cage Egg
B. Free Range egg
C. Home Grown Egg
Figure 16 Photos indicating the extend of the shell rupture of eggs from different production methods (shell texture/strength test).

20. A. Cage Egg Yolk (6)
B. Free Range Egg Yolk (7)
C. Home Grown Egg Yolk (13)
Figure 17 Photos indicating the yolk colour of egg yolks from different production methods (measured by the Roche colour fan).

21. Egg contents (g/100g) (Triplicate) Production Methods Fat Ash Moisture
Table 5 Chemical analysis of egg contents from different production methods.
Egg contents (g/100g)
(Triplicate)
Production Methods
Fat
Ash
Moisture
Dry
Matter
Energy
Protein
Cage Eggs
9.3 (±0.01)
0.85 (±0.01)
76.9 (±0.01)
23.1 (±0.01)
565 (±0.01)
12.9 (±0.01)
Free Range
10.8 (±0.01)
0.99 (±0.01)
74.8 (±0.01)
25.2 (±0.01)
627 (±0.01)
13.4 (±0.01)
Home Grown
8.5 (±0.01)
0.83 (±0.01)
76.6 (±0.01)
23.4 (±0.01)
554 (±0.01)
14.1 (±0.01)
Raw whole chicken egg
(MRC SA)
10.3
0.9
75.0
25.0
616 (kJ)
12.6

22. Table 6 Microbial analysis of egg shells (washed) and egg contents from different production methods.
Micro Analysis
Analysis
Sample
Total Plate Count
(Shell washing ) CFU/ml
(Egg Contents) CFU/ml
Salmonella
(Detection)
per 25 g
Cage Eggs
6.0x10¹
5.0x10¹
Negative
Free Range
7.0x10¹
Home Grown
1.2x106
1.0x104
Retail Specifications
cfu/g

23. Hedonic Scale: 1-Dislike very much, 2-dislike slightly, 3-Neither dislike , nor like, 4- like slightly, 5 like very much
Figure 18 Sensory in shell raw eggs

24. Hedonic Scale: 1-Dislike very much, 2-dislike slightly, 3-Neither dislike , nor like, 4- like slightly, 5 like very much
Figure 19 Sensory in raw eggs ( Open)

25. Hedonic Scale: 1-Dislike very much, 2-dislike slightly, 3-Neither dislike , nor like, 4- like slightly, 5 like very much
Figure 20 Sensory in boiled eggs

26. Conclusions Comment on the market research
No differences in the physical and proximate nutritional quality of eggs from different production methods.
However, differences in the microbial quality was observed (home grown total plate count, was higher).
Sensory comment
Thus the high price of free range eggs and home grown eggs is not justifiable from a consumers point of view (does not give a nutritional benefit).
High prices are production cost and humane treatment issues
This study did not look at micro-nutrient content nor did it cover nutritionally enhanced egg products (bio-fortified eggs: rich in essential fatty acids omega 3 & 6, selenium enriched eggs) thus further research is needed.

27. THANK YOU
Acknowledgements: Dr. L. da Silva Ms. B. du Plessis Ms. Marjorie & TUT Food Tech Students Dep. Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries