METODOLOGIA PARA DETERMINAÇÃO DA COR DA GEMA DE OVOS DE GALINHAS POEDEIRAS

Abstract

The YolkFan™ scale is a widely used visual method in the poultry industry to classify yolk color, but it can be subjective. In this sense, the present study aimed to use the ColorFruit® application as a comparison to the YolkFan™ table in evaluating the color of egg yolks from laying hens, seeking to identify the most accurate and practical method for use in the poultry industry. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD), with two treatments (YolkFan™ scale and ColorFruit® application) and 5 repetitions per treatment. The eggs were collected from laying hens fed vegetables and their combinations with a ration-based diet. The vegetables were used in the comparison between the methods for determining yolk color. Yolk color was evaluated using the YolkFan™ scale and the L*, a*, b* parameters and HUE angle, obtained by the ColorFruit® application. The results indicated that cabbage promoted the highest color intensity in the yolks (9.19 on the YolkFan™ scale), while pumpkin resulted in the lowest intensity (5.82). It was concluded that the inclusion of vegetables in the diet of laying hens can influence the color of the yolks, with emphasis on cabbage, and that the ColorFruit® application proved to be an efficient tool for color evaluation, offering advantages over traditional methods.