Guide in PDF format
Logo

Eggs and Egg Products

Code: 102646
Credits: 3
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Food Science and Technology OP 4
Veterinary Medicine OP 5

Contact lecturer

Name :
Arturo Blazquez Soro
Email :
arturo.soro@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Ana Cristina Barroeta Lajusticia
Eduard Grau Noguer
Antonio José Trujillo Mesa

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites, but it is advisable for the student to refresh the knowledge acquired in previous courses: Microbiology and parasitology, Food analysis and quality control, Food microbiology, Food products, and Food chemistry Processing Methods I and II.

Objectives

The course Eggs and Egg Products is an optional course and belongs to the subject Food Technology. This course, which is intended as an orientation towards specialisation in future professional activities, complements the training of the courses Food Processing Methods I and II, and Pilot Plant Practices.

The general objective of the course Eggs and Egg Products is to provide students with a solid base of fundamental theoretical and practical knowledge about the production, quality, processing and use of eggs and egg products, in order to understand and actively participate in the poultry industry and in the use of eggs and egg products in the food industry.

The specific objectives are:

  • To identify the composition, variability and the most important factors affecting the raw material.
  • To recognise technical problems of a productive nature or raw materials.
  • To identify the physical and biochemical processes that occur after laying and during storage, in order to maintain their quality.
  • To know the indicators of freshness and the most suitable means to maintain its quality.
  • To determine the preservation and transformation processes and the physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory modifications that occur.
  • To establish the quality control applicable to the egg and egg products industry and to substantiate the conditions of production, processing, distribution and use.
  • To diversify products and to understand the integral use of all egg components.

Learning outcomes

  1. Analyse, summarise, resolve problems and make professional decisions.
  2. Apply the scientific method to resolving problems.
  3. Search for, manage and interpret information from different sources.
  4. Use IT resources for communication, the search for information within the field of study, data processing and calculations.
  5. Develop individual learning strategies and planning and organisation skills.
  6. Relate the characteristics of foods to their physical properties.
  7. Describe the processes of spoilage and deterioration of foods.
  8. Identify the control parameters of deterioration and spoilage processes.
  9. Select food conservation methods that slow down deterioration.
  10. Recognise the changes, spoilage and adulterations that can affect milk, meat, fish products, eggs, vegetables and products deriving from these, and also products made in group catering businesses.
  11. Select processes of conservation, transformation, transport and storage that are suited to foods of animal and plant origin.
  12. Apply the technological processes that are specific to milk and dairy products, meat and meat derivatives, fish products, egg products and vegetable products, and understand the modifications to the final product that these processes make.
  13. Analyse the importance of microorganisms in foods and understand the biotic and abiotic factors that affect their development in these substrates.
  14. Recognize the role of microorganisms as causative agents of foodborne illnesses and appreciate their role in industrial processes.
  15. Analyse, synthesise and resolve problems and make decisions.
  16. Communicate information obtained during professional exercise in a fluid manner, orally and in writing, with other colleagues, authorities and society in general.
  17. Analyse the importance of microorganisms in the field of food and understand the biotic and abiotic factors that affect development in these substrates.
  18. Recognise the role of microorganisms as causal agents of foodborne disease and appreciate their role in industrial processes.
  19. Recognise the dangers to milk, meat, fishing products, eggs, plants and derived products, as well as products made in collective catering establishments, and evaluate the risk involved for different consumers.
  20. Recognise the changes, alterations and adulterations suffered by milk, meat, fishing products, eggs, plants and derived products, as well as products made in collective catering establishments.
  21. Recognise the influence of the intrinsic, extrinsic and implicit characteristics of milk, meat, fishing products, eggs, plants and derived products, as well as products made in collective catering establishments, in the presence or persistence of a danger.
  22. Recognise the circumstances that cause milk, meat, fishing products, eggs, plants and derived products, as well as products made in collective catering establishments to be unfit for human consumption and justify why.
  23. Select suitable conservation, transformation, transport and storage processes for foods of animal and plant origin.
  24. Apply specific technological processes to the preparation of milk and dairy products, meat and derived products, and fishing, egg and plant products, and understand the modifications derived from the application of these processes to the finished product.

Contents


  • Topic 1: Introduction. Production, uses and consumption.

  • Topic 2: Structure and composition. Functional properties of the components.

  • Topic 3. Physicochemical quality of the whole egg. Non-destructive methods. Micribiological quality.

  • Topic 4. Egg production. Influence on quality. Modification of nutritional value: functional eggs.

  • Topic 5. Whole eggs: handling, packaging and preservation. Changes during conservation. Regulations

  • Topic 6. Egg products. Description.

  • Topic 7. Liquid egg: collection, transport to the plant and storage. Processing. Obtaining liquid egg product.

  • Topic 8. Freezing.

  • Topic 9. Concentration. Dehydration.

  • Topic 10. Cooked eggs.

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Visit 2 0.08 2, 6, 11, 12, 15, 17, 18
Lab practices 4 0.16 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20
Case preparation 8.8 0.352 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 19
Tutorials 4 0.16 3, 4, 5, 7
Theory 15 0.6 1, 2, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21
Study 34 1.36 7, 10, 19
Seminars 4 0.16 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

The development of the course is based on the following face-to-face and non-face-to-face activities:

  1. Theoretical classes: consisting of master classes with ICT support.
  2. Practical classes: laboratory sessions in which students will work with techniques and procedures of analysis related to quality.
  3. Visit to farm, packing and grading center.
  4. Seminar for presenting self-learning activities: 1 session. During the seminars the students will have to present and discuss the most important aspects of the work done.
  5. Seminar on egg and egg products quality legislation.
  6. Tutorials: the student will have to attend at least two tutorials during the course in order to follow up the self-study work.
  7. Autonomous work.
  8. Individual or group self-learning activities: the student will have to carry out a team activity, which will be proposed throughout the course coinciding with the different theoretical blocks. They are works, which involve the search for information by the student on one or more issues, and will have to be delivered in writing and presented to the rest of the students.

In this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is allowed as an integral part of the development of the work, provided that the final result reflects a significant contribution of the student in the analysis and personal reflection. The student must clearly identify which parts have been generated with this technology, specify the tools used and include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final result of the activity. The lack of transparency in the use of AI will be considered a lack of academic honesty and may lead to a penalty in the grade of the activity, or greater sanctions in serious cases.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Lab practices 20% 1 0.04 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20, 22, 23
Exam 50% 2 0.08 1, 2, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23
Seminar 30% 0.2 0.008 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

The competences of this course will be evaluated by means of:

  1. Control of Topics 1 to 10 and the activities related to individual self-learning and/or in the practices carried out in this period with a weight of 50% of the final grade.
  2. Self-learning activities: both the written work and the presentation of the work will be evaluated and will have a weight of 30% of the final grade.
  3. Attendance to the visit and presentation and evaluation of the questionnaire of the laboratory practice sessions: will be valued with 20% of the final grade.
  4. A student will be considered not evaluable if he/she has participated in evaluation activities that represent ≤15% of the final grade.

To pass the subject is requested:

  1. A minimum of 4 points (of 10) in the control; in case of not reaching this grade, it will be necessary to take the make-up exam.
  2. A minimum of 6 points (of 10) in the self-study activities.
  3. To have attended the practical sessions.

Students who choose the single evaluation option must do the lab practices (PLAB) and the case resolution seminars (SEM) in classroom sessions and it is a requirement to pass them, and the evaluation and contribution on the final mark of these will be the same as those of the continuous evaluation (PLAB 20%, SEM 30%).

The single evaluation consists of a single synthesis test (with medium-length questions to be developed) on the contents of the whole theory programme (Topics 1-10, and lab practices).

The mark obtained in the synthesis test is 50% of the final mark of the subject, the mark obtained in the practical exercises 20%, and the seminars the remaining 30%.

The single evaluation test will be held on the same date set in the calendar for the last continuous evaluation test and the same recuperation and review of grades system will be applied, as well as the same non-assessable criteria as for the continuous evaluation.y

Students who choose the single evaluation must submit all the evidences together on the same day as the day set for the synthesis test.

In order to pass the course, a minimum final grade of 4 points out of 10 must be obtained in synthesis teste and a minimum grade of 6 points out of 10 in each of the parts of PLAB and SEM.

Bibliography

BIBLIOGRAFIA (books in the library)

Burle R.W. i D.V. Vadehra (1989) The avian egg. Chemistry and biology. Ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, USA.

Castelló Llobet, J. A. (2010) Producción de huevos Arenys de Mar, Real Escuela de Avicultura. Mead G. C. (ed.) (2009) Análisis microbiológico de carne roja, aves y huevos. Ed. Acribia Zaragoza. Mountney G.J. (1983) Poultry products technology. Ed. Avi Pub. Co., Inc., Westport, USA.

Nau F. (2010) Science et technologie de l'oeuf. Tec & Doc / Lavoisier, París.

Olson V.M. i W.J. Stadelman (1988) Egg and poultry meat processing. Ed. Technisciences, París.

Parkhurst C.R. i G.J. Mountney (1988) Poultry meat and egg production. Ed. Van Nostrand Rehinhold Co., New York.

Sauveur B. (1988) Reproduction des volailles et production d'oeufs. Ed. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Paris.

Sim J.S. i S. Nakai (1994) Egg uses and processing technologies. New developments. CAB Int. Oxon. Solomon S.E. (1990) Egg and eggshell quality. Ed. Wolfe Pub. Ltd., Kent, UK.

Stadelman W.J. i O.J. Cotterill (1990) Egg science and technology. 4th ed. Ed. Avi Pub. Co. Inc., Wesport, USA.

Stadelman W.J., V.M. Olson, G.A. Shemwell i S. Pasch (1989) Egg and poultry‑meat processing. Ed. VCH Publishers, New York, USA.

Thapon J-L iBourgeois C-M (1995) L'Oeuf et les ovoproduits Tech & Doc, Paris

Wells R.G. i C.G. Belyavin (Eds.) (1987) Egg quality- Current problems and recent advances. Ed. Butterworth & Co., Ltd., Kent, UK.

Yamamoto T. (1997) Hen eggs : their basic and applied science Boca Raton CRC.


BIBLIOGRAPHY (books on-line)

Egg Innovationsand Strategies for Improvements

Egg marketing: a guide for the production and sale of eggs FAO 2003

Risk assessments of salmonella in eggs and broiler chickens FAO 2002


WEBS

http://www.incredibleegg.org/

http://www.institutohuevo.com

http://www.wpsa-aeca.es/

https://www.internationalegg.com

http://www.sanovogroup.com/

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/Meat_Poultry_Egg_Inspection_Directory/index.as


Software

No special software is needed.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan/Spanish second semester afternoon
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(VEXT) Visites externes a entitats 1 Catalan/Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 2 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(VEXT) Visites externes a entitats 2 Catalan/Spanish second semester morning-mixed