Researchers Develop Egg Sanitizing Machine
By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com
A new egg machine could revolutionize the poultry industry, saving poultry farmers thousands of eggs and dollars each year.
Texas A&M University researcher – Dr. Graig Coufal, created a machine that sanitizes eggs for hatching. Eggs are placed on a conveyor belt and then go through a sanitizing process. The eggs are sanitized by bringing together UV lights and hydrogen peroxide.
Currently, most farmers don’t clean their eggs, which leave them vulnerable to infection, as well as the potential for them to go rotten. While eggs are typically good at warding off bacteria 99% of the time, there are often on average 1% of eggs, which need to be discarded, which can affect a farmer’s bottom line, especially in a large facility.
Adopting an egg sanitizing machine, would address some production losses due to bacteria seeping into egg shells. Eggs that go through the process come out germ-free. The machine is currently being tested on a farm in East Texas. The cost of the machine is unknown.