Yellowness of egg yolks influences consumer preference for eggs in Ghana

The present work evaluated β-carotene content, colour (L*, a*, b*), and consumer preference for egg yolks from chicken, guinea fowl, and quail, sampled from intensive or semi-intensive rearing systems in Ghana. The β-carotene content of guinea fowl yolk was almost seven times greater (p < 0.001) than that of chicken and quail yolks. The yellowness of guinea fowl yolk (82.18; p < 0.01) was approximately 1.5 and 1.3 times greater than that of chicken and quail yolks, respectively. A consumer preference test showed a significantly greater score (5; p < 0.001) for guinea fowl than for the other egg types. The yellowness of egg yolks had strong positive relationship with β-carotene content (r = 0.943; p = 0.216) and consumer preference (r = 0.995; p = 0.064). Therefore, enhancing the yellowness of egg yolks on the Ghanaian market, especially those from chicken, could lead to increased egg consumption in Ghana.