Some Problems in the Evaluation of Egg Albumen Quality

EGG ALBUMEN quality is a vague concept, difficult to describe or define. It is defined somewhat differently by different market groups, but frequently is defined as those qualities of the albumen desired by the consumer, which in turn requires definition. On the other hand, it is generally agreed that albumen quality is a quantitative genetic trait of the fowl, and on this basis it is possible to list the desirable characteristics of a numerical expression of albumen quality. Such a criterion should be a continuous rather than a discrete variable, having a known distribution, and it should be possible to make objective measurements of the criterion. The desirable criterion should also have a sound biological basis, being associated with both the known physiology of egg formation and the preferences of the consumer. The latter point is, of course, a difficult one to resolve since it is not readily subject to …