Shell eggs quality assessment by FT-NIR spectroscopy

Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy was used to non-destructively assess the main quality parameters of shell eggs. By means of a i ber optic probe in direct contact with the shell, acquisitions by diffuse reflectance were carried out on samples of 35 eggs, during a storage at 20°C for 1, 4, 7, 10, 13 and 16 days. Eggs were collected from three farms with Hy-line brown hens reared with dif erent techniques (organic, barn and in cage). All the hens, 50 weeks old, were fed commercial diets with similar chemical composition. In conclusion, the results of the present research coni rm the ability of this non-destructively technique in the assessment of the freshness of shell eggs in terms of days of storage and quality parameters and agree with i ndings reported in literature even if obtained with different devices and methods.