Examination of the impact of eggshell cuticle and membranes on Salmonella Enteritidis or Typhimurium recovery from inoculated and stored eggs.

The effect of altering eggshell cuticle, as well as the impact of eggshell membranes and egg contents, on inoculated Salmonella recovery was examined. Four experiments were performed with Experiments 1 and 2 utilizing Salmonella Enteritidis and Experiments 3 and 4 utilizing both Salmonella Enteritidis and Typhimurium. Eggs were inoculated with 10⁵ to 10⁶ CFU of Salmonella after the following treatments were applied: mechanically stripped cuticle, chemically stripped cuticle, eggshells empty of egg contents, inoculation into the air cell, and unaltered eggshell positive control. Post-inoculation eggs were stored at room temperature (22-25°C) and eggshells were sampled at 1, 6, and 24 h for recovery of Salmonella. Mechanically and chemically stripping eggshell cuticle from this study did not impact Salmonella recovery compared to unaltered positive control eggs. Eggshells with contents removed had significantly higher recovery of Salmonella over 24 h storage, as well as eggs that were inoculated in...