Assessment of safety and quality aspects of boiling treatment of quail eggs

• Published in: Letters in applied microbiology Vol. 75; no. 2; pp. 410 - 421
• Main Authors: Saad, M.F., Fadel, M.A., Abd El‐Hafeez, M.S., Abdel‐Salam, A.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01-08-2022
• Subjects: Amoxicillin; Antiinfectives and antibacterials; Antimicrobial agents; antimicrobial residues; Bioassays; Boiling; E coli; Eggs; Escherichia coli O157; Health hazards; High performance liquid chromatography; HPLC; Liquid chromatography; Metabolites; Oxytetracycline; quail eggs; Refrigeration; Residues; Sensory evaluation; Survival; antimicrobial residues; quail eggs; sensory evaluation; HPLC; Escherichia coli O157
• ISSN: 0266-8254; 1472-765X
• DOI: 10.1111/lam.13743

A total of 300 quail eggs were collected randomly from different markets in Cairo and Giza Governorates. Five eggs were represented as one egg sample. Shell and content of each egg were examined for their microbiological contents, sensory evaluation and study of Escherichia coli O157 survival in artificially contaminated eggs. Moreover, qualitative detection of antimicrobial residues by seven plates microbiologically bioassay and confirmed by validated high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods for positively reacted antimicrobials in raw and boiled samples. There was a significant difference (P < 0·05) between the grading score of eggs after the boiling at 2‐, 4‐, 5‐ and 7‐min. Based on the survival results, the refrigeration storage and boiling for 5 min of quail eggs was confirmed that such eggs are without E. coli O157. After the boil, the concentrations of oxytetracycline (OTC) and 4‐Epi‐OTC residues were significantly reduced, and there was no effect on the concentration of sulphadimidine (SDD), amoxicillin (AMO) and Diketo residues. Samples that exceeded the maximum residual limits (MRLs) were 17·0%, 12·0%, 10·0%, 16·0% and 14·0% for SDD, OTC, 4‐Epi‐OTC, AMO and Diketo, respectively. After boiling, no significant change was noted for SDD, AMO and Diketo, but all OTC and 4‐Epi‐OTC were completely below MRLs. Therefore, SDD and AMO with their metabolite (Diketo) are heat‐stable antimicrobial residues with multiple human health hazards.
Significance and Impact of the Study: Because of the increasing consumer needs worldwide for quail eggs, regular evaluations are needed to produce safe and high‐quality eggs. Therefore, this investigation was planned to assess the shell, interior quality and survival of Escherichia coli O157 at different boiling durations. This trial of the survival of E. coli O157 in boiled quail eggs after different periods is one of the fewest studies, particularly in the Middle East. Moreover, antibiotic residues were detected in raw eggs, and after the boil, depletion is below established maximum residual limits and safe for human consumption.