The quality of Zeagold Foods’ products has always been of prime importance to our company. From the feed through to the final egg product, we undertake a series of tests that monitor the quality of the end product our customers receive.
The raw materials for our feed are tested to ensure that they comply with our specifications. We then test the feed in its final form to ensure that it is delivering all of the nutritional requirements that are required to keep our livestock in peak condition and producing top quality eggs.
Egg quality is a combination of a number of factors
Shell cleanliness, Shell soundness, Shell texture, Shell shape, Albumen (white) texture and viscosity, Yolk colour, Freedom from foreign internal matter.
Once the eggs are produced they are tested in an electronic testing machine – a Colorimeter - which assesses the yolk colour and Haugh units (albumen quality). Haugh units were developed by American researcher Dr. R R Haugh in the 1930s and are an international standard used to measure the height of the albumen in relation to the weight of the egg.
The higher the albumen, the better the quality and the “tighter” the white will hold around the yolk. If an egg has low Haugh units the white is thin and will spread out when it is being fried or poached. It is important to use the freshest eggs possible for poaching and frying leaving older eggs for boiling/ peeling or baking.
By objectively measuring our eggs through the Colorimeter, we are able to check the results of our quality systems in terms of the end product which is produced. We can then adjust any inputs which are not giving us the required results.
The development of “watery” whites is chiefly due to the increasing age of the egg. But it may also mean the egg was laid by an older bird or it has been incorrectly handled or stored. In all cases the nutritional content is not affected. To determine the age of your eggs – check the best before date on the packaging.
The egg on the left is the fresher egg. The yolk sits high on a firm white compared to the thin runnier white of the egg on the right.
Zeagold Foods operates a Risk Management Programme (RMP) under the Animal Products Act 1999. This involves identifying through the production chain any potential risks to product safety and wholesomeness. A hazard analysis process is in place to control those risks identified and is backed up by a series of checks and records to demonstrate we are meeting our legal obligations.
The RMP process involves independent auditing of our farms, feed mills and grading & packing centres by approved third party auditors for the NZFSA. In addition, the company undertakes self-audits of all its operations to ensure that the standards and procedures we have set are being fully complied with, throughout the egg production chain. At the same time we are independently monitored and audited by MAF. We were one of the first operations to have an approved RMP, working closely with the NZFSA in their development.
All our pasteurised egg products are produced to USDA standards which sets criteria for the combination of time, temperature and flow of egg through the pasteurisation process. Three samples from each batch are sent for microbiological analysis to the Otago University in Dunedin.
Zeagold Foods is licensed to export. Our Waikouaiti site is the only farm in New Zealand certified to supply into Singapore which has stringent AVA quality standards.
The New Zealand industry standard is to date the eggs on the day of lay plus 35 days. The eggs will keep for this time if they are stored at between 7°C & 15°C. To ensure you get the best from your egg Zeagold Foods has produced storage and handling guides for shell eggs and egg products.
