Effects of season and marketing channels on internal and external quality of commercial eggs marketed in Bareilly city, India

The current study evaluates the internal and external quality traits of commercial eggs marketed in different marketing channels in Bareilly city during the summer and winter seasons. Commercial eggs were bought from the local market (4 wholesalers and 4 retailers) during the winter and summer seasons 2021-2022. Twenty eggs each were collected monthly from marketing channels in the winter and summer. They were individually weighed and randomly broken down evaluating the external quality (weight of egg, shape index %, shell thickness, total shell quantity %) and internal quality (air sac, albumen weight, yolk weight, yolk index, haugh unit, albumin pH, yolk pH), TBA value and total plate count of eggs. The outcomes show the eggs collected in the winter season from wholesalers are found to have significantly (p<0.05) higher haugh unit values, yolk index, shell thickness, total shell quantity % and lower air sac depth, albumin pH, yolk pH, TBA and TPC (cfu/ml) than those acquired in the summer season eggs from retail shops. The result of this study showed that the season plays a significant role in affecting quality parameters of eggs.