Avaliação da qualidade de ovos, do perfil dos consumidores e das condições de comercialização em São Bento-MA

Abstract

Egg production plays an important role at the national level, as eggs are a food of high nutritional value, low cost, and widely consumed by the Brazilian population, with their quality being directly influenced by the stages of production, storage, transportation, and commercialization. The objective of this study was to evaluate the external and internal quality of eggs marketed in the municipality of São Bento-MA, assess the hygienic-sanitary conditions of commercialization sites, and identify the consumer profile. The consumer profile was evaluated through an online questionnaire containing questions on consumption habits and knowledge regarding the quality of commercial eggs. The hygienic-sanitary conditions of the establishments were analyzed through observational evaluation using a structured questionnaire adapted from RDC No. 216/2004, followed by calculation of the conformity index. For the evaluation of external and internal quality, 240 eggs were analyzed, with 80 eggs per establishment (40 white and 40 brown eggs), collected from supermarkets, fruit stores, grocery/retail stores, and open-air markets. External and internal egg variables were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s test (p < 0.05), with the InfoStat software. The results regarding the consumer profile indicated that eggs are frequently included in the population’s diet, mainly due to their nutritional value and economic accessibility. Supermarkets were the main purchase locations and showed the highest conformity indices, while grocery stores presented the lowest indices and more precarious commercialization conditions. Eggs collected from fruit stores showed higher average weight and more intense yolk color; however, all evaluated eggs showed reduced freshness, with Haugh Unit values and yolk index below ideal levels, associated with failures in commercialization conditions. Variables related to shell thickness and shell percentage remained within recommended standards. It was concluded that, in the municipality of São Bento-MA, there is a high consumption of white eggs driven by economic accessibility. Although the eggs showed acceptable external quality, internal quality was compromised in all evaluated establishments, highlighting the need for improvements in commercialization conditions