Essential oils and propolis as additives in egg coatings

SUMMARY

The development, search for and use of increasingly complete coatings with minimal structural and functional deficiencies are currently being investigated for use on eggs for consumption. Coatings with essential oils or propolis have been studied by academia and industry to achieve extended egg quality. These safe, natural compounds have a versatile chemical composition that gives them characteristics and functionalities that make them available for participation in various formulations in the food industry. Considering the importance of minimising food waste, economic losses and unsafe food and maximising food preservation, using practical, known and commercially available products that do not induce severe harm to human health or the environment, we review the effects of biopolymers incorporated with essential oils or propolis on the quality of table eggs. These coatings can be produced by mixing biopolymers, propolis extract or essential oils, acetic acid, plasticisers and emulsifiers, among other components. Studies indicate that coatings with essential oils or propolis preserve the quality of albumen and egg yolk stored for several weeks at temperatures of 20°C or higher and guarantee their internal and external microbiological quality. In addition, essential oils and propolis have no harmful effects on eggshells. Future research needs to deepen the evaluations of coatings with these products, including assessing the complete sensory quality of the eggs, as available reports do not sufficiently address sensory factors.

KEYWORDS:

• Biopolymers
• egg
• food preservation
• microbiological safety
• natural product
• shelf life

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).