Nondestructive Evaluation of Chicken-egg Freshness Based on its Optical Properties

摘要

Evaluation of internal quality is very indispensable in storing, circulating and processing of chicken-egg. The potential of the UV/VIS (200-1000nm) transmittance method to evaluate the freshness of intact chicken egg was examined. A total of 350 chicken-eggs were tested and one of 200 eggs were used to spectral measurement in the tracing test. The transmittance spectral characteristics of intact egg were also investigated. The correlation models between transmittance versus wavelengths and the storing time, freshness index (Haugh Unit and Yolk coefficient) and the storing time were established by linear regression analysis of SPSS 10.0. The correlation coefficients were 0.86, 0.94, 0.99 and 0.98 respectively. The sensitive wavelength used to evaluate freshness was also found at 465nm and the correlation model between transmittance and freshness was built. The test results show that: Nondestructive evaluation freshness by transmittance properties is feasible in the range of 400 -600nm, while it is impossible to evaluate egg freshness in the range of 200-400nm owing to the low transmittance.