USE OF THE Melipona melanoventer GEOPROPOLIS IN THE MAINTENANCE OF EGG QUALITY

Abstract

In order to evaluate the quality of hens eggs submitted to the surface treatment of the shell using a solution of Melipona melanoventer geopropolis, an experiment was conducted with 60 eggs placed on the day, stored for a period of 20 days. The experimental design was completely randomized (DIC) in a 3 x 4 factorial scheme, with three treatments (washed eggs, washed eggs and washed eggs and immersed in 10% geopropolis solution (90% ethanol plus 10% geoprópolis) evaluated in four storage times: 05, 10, 15 and 20 days) with 05 replicates of one egg each. The following were analyzed: egg weight; specific gravity; height of yolk and Haugh unit. A variance analysis was performed using a model including the effects of storage time, bark surface treatment and interaction between these factors. The averages of the eggshell surface treatment over the storage time were compared using the Tukey test at 5% probability. For most of the analyzed characteristics, significant differences (P <0.05) were observed between treatments and throughout the storage time. As the storage time increased, the eggs presented reduction in specific gravity, yolk height and independent Haugh Unit if they received or not surface treatment in the shell. It was concluded by means of this experiment that the surface coating of the eggshell with geopropolis is not effective in maintaining the internal quality of the same during the 20 days of storage.KEYWORDS: Egg quality, Geopropolis, Storage.