Flock

Organic chemistry

Sodium hypochlorite

Broiler

Disinfectant

Biology

Animal science

Chemistry

Ecology

Hatching

Toxicology

Food science

Chlorine

Hydrogen peroxide

Biochemistry

The Journal of Applied Poultry Research

This paper evaluated the suitability of four compounds as hatching egg sanitizers by examining their effectiveness against E. coli and their unit cost. Removal of E. coli experimentally applied to the shell surface of eggs from a broiler parent flock was measured after manual application of a coarse surface spray. The compounds tested reduced E. coli on the surface of egg shells at the following levels: 100% (1.5% hydrogen peroxide), 99.82% (0.4% orthophenol solution, Tek-Trol®), 99.53% (experimental 0.2% oxyhalogen compound), and 98.65% (250ppm chlorine solution). The cost per liter for the commercially available compounds as applied was 30¢ for 1.5% hydrogen peroxide, 2¢ for 0.4% orthophenol, and 0.1¢ for 250 ppm chlorine derived from 5.25% commercial sodium hypochlorite. Evaluation of hatching egg sanitizers should be based on cost-effectiveness, broad spectrum of activity, and absence of adverse effect on equipment, the environment, and embryo viability, development, and hatchability.

Evaluation of Sanitizers for Hatching Eggs