Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-p2v8j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-07T17:51:25.977Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Understanding the architecture of the egg shell*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2007

Peter Hunton
Peter Hunton
Affiliation:
Ontario Egg Producers' Marketing Board, 7195 Millcreek Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5N 4H1, Canada
Get access

Abstract

The biological function of the egg shell is as a chamber for embryonic development and from which the chick is able to emerge at the appropriate time. The characteristics which serve this purpose in an optimum way are quite different from the requirements of the table egg industry. Among the challenges imposed by commercial egg production and marketing is the ability to resist fracture damage. The industry sustains economic loss from cracked eggs and at least some of the cracking can be attributed to deficiencies in shell structure. While early research concentrated on the thickness of the shell, more recently there has been an increased emphasis on its fine structure and shape. Egg shell strength has been the subject of much research, but relatively little attention has been paid to the relationship of strength and other shell parameters to breakage under commercial conditions. Where this has been studied, the power of shell measurements to predict breakage has been found to be low. The ultrastructure of the shell has been studied during the past 25 years and this has led to extensive gains in understanding. In the case of the mammillary layer, knowledge has been advanced following the use of plasma etching and scanning electron microscopy. Several structural anomalies have been described which significantly affect shell strength and resistance to breakage. The use of finite element analysis has made possible a definitive description of shell shape and led in turn to useful work on crack generation and shell failure. Studies of the protein content of the shell, which may be an important factor in its crystal growth and structure, are also contributing to our understanding of egg shell architecture.

Keywords

Breakagecrackingeggshellstructureultrastructure
Type
Research Article
Information
World's Poultry Science Journal , Volume 51 , Issue 2 , July 1955 , pp. 141 - 147
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Arias, J.L. and Fernandez, M.S. (1993) Molecular control of avian eggshell biomineralisation. Proceedings 5th European Symposium on the Quality of Eggs and Egg Products, Tours,France, pp. 116–126Google Scholar
Bain, M.E. (1991) Future considerations. In: Egg and Eggshell Quality (Ed. Solomon, S.E.), Wolfe Publications Ltd, London, chapter 8Google Scholar
Bain, M.E. (1992) Eggshell strength: a relationship between the mechanism of failure and the ultrastructural organization of the mammillary layer. British Poultry Science 33: 303–319CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bain, M.E. and Solomon, S.E. (1989) A re-interpretation of eggshell strength and quality. Proceedings III European WPSA Symposium on Egg Quality (Ed. Scholtyssek, S.), Hohenheim, pp. 231–238Google Scholar
Brooks, J. and Hale, H.P. (1955) Strength of the shell of the hen's egg. Nature (London) 175: 848–849CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carter, T.C. (1970) Why do egg shells crack? World's Poultry Science Journal 26: 549–561CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fujii, S. and Tamura, T. (1969) Scanning electron microscopy of the hen's egg shell. Journal of the Faculty of Fisheries and Animal Husbandry, Hiroshima University 8: 85–98Google Scholar
Fujii, S., Watari, T. and Tamura, T. (1980) Scanning electron microscopy on the structure of abnormal hen's eggshell. Journal of the Faculty of Applied Biological Science, Hiroshima University 19: 101–111Google Scholar
Grunder, A.A., Hamilton, R.M.G., Fairfull, R.W. and Thompson, B.K. (1989) Genetic parameters of egg shell quality traits and percentage of eggs remaining intact between oviposition and grading. Poultry Science 68: 46–54CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hamilton, R.M.G. (1982) Methods and factors that affect the measurement of egg shell quality. Poultry Science 61: 2022–2039CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hincke, M.T., Bernard, A.-M., Lee, E.R., Tsang, C.P.W. and Narbaitz, R. (1992) Soluble protein constituents of the domestic fowl's eggshell. British Poultry Science 33: 505–516CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hunton, P (1987) Laboratory evaluations of egg quality. In: Egg Quality – Current Problems and Recent Advances (Eds Wells, R.G. and Belyavin, C.G.), London, Butterworths, pp. 87–102Google Scholar
Krampitz, G. (1993) Molecular mechanisms of eggshell formation. Proceedings of 5th European Symposium on the Quality of Eggs and Egg Products, Tours,France, pp. 99–109Google Scholar
Narbaitz, R., Tsang, C.P.W., Grunder, A.A. and Soares, J.H. (1987) Scanning electron microscopy of thin and soft shells induced by feeding calcium-deficient or vitamin D-deficient diets to laying hens. Poultry Science 66: 341–347.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parsons, A.H. (1982) Structure of the eggshell. Poultry Science 61: 2013–2021CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richards, J.F. and Swanson, M.H. (1965) The relationship of egg shape to shell strength. Poultry Science 44: 1555–1558CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Romanoff, A.L. and Romanoff, A.J. (1949) The Avian Egg, John Wiley & Sons, New YorkGoogle Scholar
Schoorl, P. and Boersma, H.Y. (1962) Research on the quality of egg shell (a new method of determination). Proceedings of the 12th World's Poultry Congress,Sydney, pp. 432–435Google Scholar
Simons, P.C.M. (1971) Ultrastructure of the hen eggshell and its physiological interpretation. Thesis. Comm. No.175. ‘Het Spelderholt’, Beekbergen, NetherlandsGoogle Scholar
Solomon, S.E. (1991) Egg and Eggshell Quality, Wolfe Publishing Ltd, LondonGoogle Scholar
Thompson, B.K. and Hamilton, R.M.G. (1986) Relationships between laboratory measurements of egg shell strength and breakage of eggs collected at a commercial grading station. Poultry Science 65: 1877–1885CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thompson, B.K., Hamilton, R.M.G. and Grunder, A.A. (1985) The relationship between laboratory measures of egg shell quality and breakage in commercial egg washing and candling equipment. Poultry Science 64: 901–909CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Toledo, B., Parsons, A.H. and Combs, G.F. Jr. (1982) Role of ultrastructure in determining eggshell strength. Poultry Science 61: 569–572CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Voisey, P.W. and Hunt, J.R. (1974) Measurement of eggshell strength. Journal of Texture Studies 5: 135–182CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Voisey, P.W. and Macdonald, D.C. (1978) Laboratory measurements of eggshell strength. I. An instrument for measuring shell strength by quasi-static compression, puncture and non-destructive deformation. Poultry Science 57: 860–869CrossRefGoogle Scholar