March 2, 2020

 

Eggs' shelf life prolonged with new technology

 

A new technology has been developed in Brazil that extends the shelf life of eggs from 30 days to up to 60 days.

 

The technology mixes chitosan-a natural polymer extracted from the shell of crustaceans such as shrimp, lobsters and crabs - with quaternary ammonium salts, chemical compounds that have antimicrobial properties and are commonly used in controlled concentrations in food industries and as domestic sanitisers, reports scidev.net.

 

From the mixture, the researchers obtained a liquid, which is then sprayed on the eggshell or mixed in the product disinfection bath at the sanitising stage.

 

After the liquid dries it returns to its initial state of polymer, forming a biofilm that can prevent fungi and bacteria from forming on the egg's surface or penetrating the shell's pores.

 

The developers of the technology said it is most helpful in hot regions, where eggs spoil faster and are vulnerable to germs.

 

Social technology

 

"It can be said that this biofilm is a social technology that can be used to meet hunger problem in world's developing regions, which do not have a proper sanitary infrastructure for the conservation and maintenance of eggs, fruits, vegetables and others foods", Eduardo José Arruda of the Federal University of Grande Dourados, Brazil, one of the new biofilm creators, told scidev.net.

 

Arruda said they are still carrying out additional studies to apply the technology on an industrial scale, but hopefully it will be available for commercial use within a year.

 

The biofilm could also help fight salmonella, which infects about 1% of chicken eggs and is especially harmful in lower-income countries.

 

According to Elson Longo, a chemist at São Carlos Federal University in São Paulo, who did not take part in the research, said the new technology could also protect eggs from temperature variations and damage from shocks during transport.

 

"It should offer a real gain for the egg producer, making them more competitive in the market and at the same time it should prevent contamination by microorganisms that cause intestinal infections mainly in people living in poor regions," he was quoted as saying.