ANALYSIS OF THE PHYSICO-MORPHOLOGICAL AND FUNCTIONAL ATTRIBUTES OF GUINEA FOWL (Numida meleagris) EGGS

Abstract

Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) eggs are a valuable poultry product recognized for their unique qualities, such as a thicker, harder shell, high nutrient content, and functional properties. This study examined the impact of storage time on the physical, morphological, and functional properties of Guinea fowl eggs. A total of 100 freshly laid eggs were divided into five storage treatments (0, 4, 8, 12, and 16 days) and analyzed for physiomorphological and functional changes using established methods. The results revealed that egg size and shape remained stable across all treatments, with medium size and oval shape consistently observed. However, storage led to minor morphological changes, including shell darkening (T3-T5) and structural defects such as pimpled eggs, cracks, and calcium-coated surfaces, with the highest occurrence of calcium-coated eggs in T2 (++). Storage significantly (P<0.05) reduced foaming capacity (T1: 16.00 vs. T5: 13.50), indicating protein degradation, particularly affecting ovalbumin and ovomucin. Conversely, foaming stability, emulsifying activity, emulsifying stability, and swelling capacity were not significantly (P>0.05) affected by storage. In conclusion, while Guinea fowl eggs are robust against most storage-related changes, prolonged storage reduces their foaming capacity