Reactions to Blood Spots and Albumen Condition

GYNANDEOMORPH FROM SEX-LINKED CROSS

4. The autopsy of the bird combined with the sectioning of the testis indicated that the bird was capable of maturing yolks and producing sperm simultaneously. REFERENCES

Jerome, F. N., and C. M. Huntsman, 1952. Gynandromorphism and mosaicism in the domestic fowl. Poultry Sci. 31: 921. Hutt, F. B., 1937. Gynandromorphism in the fowl. Poultry Sci. 16: 354-355. Macklin, M. T., 1923. A description of material from a gynandromorph fowl. J. Exptl. Zool. 38: 3SS-37S. Roberts, E., and J. H. Quisenberry, 1935. A Brahma-Plymouth Rock mosaic. J. Heredity, 26: 11-14.

Reactions to Blood Spots and Albumen Condition LYNN D. SANBORN, CORA MILLER, HANS ABPLANALP AND GEORGE F. STEWART

University of California, Los Angeles and Davis (Received for publication November 25, 1958)

T

HE present study was initiated to have been made in which reactions to egg obtain further information on con- quality were obtained (Liniger and Charles, sumer reaction to variations in blood spot 1928; Thomsen and Winton, 1933; Corsize and thick albumen height. These bett, 1933; Morse, 1951; Baker and Goldquality criteria, one a negative factor man, 1951; Sanborn, Miller and Stewart, (blood spots—a defect) and the other a 1957). An excellent review on methodology positive factor (albumen condition) have for conducting such surveys has been pubbeen widely used by standardization and lished by Morse (1951). Only one of the grading agencies as well as by research published reports has dealt with blood spots workers. Since neither of these criteria is (Sanborn, Miller and Stewart, 1957); none associated with nutritive value or health- has concerned itself with albumen quality. fulness of eggs, it would seem that they In the case of blood spot study, it was estabmay truly be considered quality factors lished that consumers generally react unonly if there are positive or negative con- favorably to the presence of blood in eggs. sumer responses to them. It has been as- However, only about 50% of those intersumed that the quality standards of an viewed indicated that they would reject esthetic nature currently in use by official eggs containing blood spots as large as %" agencies and research workers (such as diameter. The present study was initiated blood spots and albumen condition) reflect to obtain data on consumer reactions to consumer opinion. Increasingly the weak- both blood and albumen condition. ness of this position has been recognized and consumer surveys have been carried SURVEY METHODOLOGY out to determine direct reactions to soThe California State Fair and the Los called quality criteria. Such a study was Angeles County Fair were the locale for planned and carried out on blood spots and testing consumer reactions to albumen albumen condition by the present authors. height. Since the previous survey had been A limited number of consumer surveys made at the Los Angeles County Fair, the

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Crew, F. A. E., and S. S. Munro, 1939. Lateral asymmetry in the fowl. Proc. Seventh World's Poultry Congress, pp. 61-64.

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L. D. SANBORN, C. MILLER, H. ABPLANALP AND G. F. STEWART

Interviewees were asked to judge each egg as: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor or Very Poor. Two eggs (in separate locations) were judged consecutively by each participant. All 16 possible combinations and sequences of height were used in the pairs; approximately equal numbers of interviewees reacted to pairs of the various combinations. Some socio-economic information was

TABLE 1.—Effect of blood spot size on rejection rate Size of blood spot 0"

i // 16 11/ 8

1" 4.

% rejection 19561

19572

2.83 21.44 35.42 51.52

12.83 28.44 33.04 42.06

1

Taken from Sanborn, Miller and (1957); 2,532 persons were interviewed. 2 2,523 persons were interviewed.

Stewart

obtained from each participant. 11,452 persons were successfully interviewed for their reaction to albumen quality, approximately half of whom were contacted at the Californai State Fair and half at the Los Angeles County Fair. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The results of the blood spot reaction survey are given in Table 1. Included for comparison are the results from the previous survey made at the Los Angeles County Fair. It may be seen that the results of the two surveys are in essential agreement. Somewhat puzzling, however, is the relatively high rejection rate for eggs containing no blood spots. Part of this was due, no doubt, to confusion and irrationality factors on the part of participants but a good deal may have been due to reactions against large chalazas that were occasionally to be seen in these eggs. No quantitative data were obtained on this point, however. The results of the surveys on albumen heights are summarized in Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5. The judgment terms used by the interviewees were converted to scores, thus: Very poor = 0, Poor = 1, Fair = 2, Good = 3, and Excellent = 4. The results were subjected to analysis of variance. The differences between the results obtained at the Los Angeles County Fair and the California State Fair were not significant; accordingly the results were combined for

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survey on blood spots was conducted only at the California State Fair. Data from 2,325 persons were collected on eggs containing blood spots of varying sizes. The essentials of the methods used for securing participation, conducting the interviews, etc., have already been described (Sanborn, Miller and Stewart, 19S7). In the case of the albumen survey, a few additional details are in order, however. Every effort was made to hold other factors in the egg constant: egg and yolk size, percent thin albumen; yolk height and yolk color and defects (no blood or meat spots, off-color or enlarged chalazae). Two-ounce eggs were used with albumen heights measuring 1, 4, 7 or 10 mm. and were selected as representing the normal range encountered in the marketing of shell eggs. It was possible to obtain sufficient eggs with albumen heights of 4, 7 and 10 mm. while still holding other factors constant. However, albumen heights of 1 mm. could be only obtained in sufficient quantity by aging the eggs prior to use, to a point where the yolk height and size were appreciably affected. To avoid the confounding effect of having varying yolk height and size in the sample, flat and enlarged yolks (associated with the 1 mm. height albumen) were replaced by yolks of 24-48 hour old eggs. Such eggs looked normal for fresh eggs laid by hens with Newcastle disease or infectious bronchitis or by hens with the inherited capacity to lay eggs of low albumen height.

733

REACTIONS TO BLOOD AND ALBUMEN CONDITION

TABLE 2.—Albumen height survey: Socio-economic characteristics of population interviewed"Percent of total

Age No answer Under 18 18-35 35-50 Over 50

304 1,487 4,138 3,589 1,934

2.6 13.0 36.2 31.3 16.9

Sex No answer Male Female

244 4,514 6,694

2.1 39.4 58.5

Income No answer Under 3,000 3-5,000 5-7,500 Over 7,500

1,134 1,201 3,703 3,479 1,935

9.9 10.5 32.3 30.4 16.9

Community No answer City Rural

484 9,499 1,469

4.3 82.9 12.8

Race No answer White Negroid Oriental Other

2,562 8,261 216 236 177

22.4 72.1 1.9 2.1 1.5

11,452

100.0

Attribute

Total

" Combined data from surveys at Los Angeles County and California State Fairs.

analysis and presentation (except for those given in Table 3). There was a moderate but highly significant negative reaction to low albumen height. It is interesting to note that the population interviewed were very reluctant to score the thick albumen of the eggs they judged either as very good or very poor, even though the range in height values was extreme. The reason for this reluctance is difficult to understand and no good explanation for it is apparent. Also it is clear from these results that there is a considerable tolerance in the reaction to variations in height in the upper range (compare average scores for 10 vs. 7 mm. heights). Quite

Albumen height (mm.)

California State Fair

Los Angeles County Fair

Combined

10 7 4 1

3.00 2.95 2.66 1.89

2.85 2.79 2.65 1.93

2.95 2.89 2.66 1.90

Score values: 0=very poor; l = poor; 2 = fair; 3 =good, 4=very good.

obviously the reaction to albumen height is not linear. An influence of the appearance of one egg in a pair on the reaction to the other is clearly shown in Table 4. That the effect is highly significant is shown by the analysis of variance (Table 5). Thus, if the albumen of first egg judged was high, then the second egg tended to be scored relatively low; conversely if the albumen of the first egg was low, then the second egg tended to be scored higher. The overall effect (referred to in Table 5 as General Order Effect) was non-significant; that is, in general, there was no difference in score between eggs presented first and those presented second. This is to be expected since eggs were shown to the interviewees in all possible height combinations. Socio-economic data on the population interviewed show that it consisted mainly of middle aged people of moderate income. They were mostly urban people and included but few of Negroid or Oriental extraction. Females predominated the group surveyed. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Three surveys were conducted to obtain reactions to blood spots and albumen height in eggs. The survey on blood spots was conducted at the California State Fair (19S7); 2,523 persons were successfully interviewed. Two surveys on albumen height were conducted, one at the California State Fair

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Number of persons interviewed

TABLE 3.-—Relationship of albumen height to consumer quality scores

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L. D. SANBORN, C. MILLER, H. ABPLANALP AND G. F. STEWART TABLE 4.—Influence of albumen height on consumer quality scores. Effects of method of presentation (combined data)

Albumen height (mm.): First egg

Albumen height (mm.): Second egg 10

—

7

—

4

—

1

2.9

—

2.9

—

3.1

—

3.1

—

3.00

—

—

—

2.9

—

2.8

—

2.5

—

1.7

—

2.47

—

3.0

—

3.0

—

2.85

—

2.7

—

2.6

—

1.5

—

2.38

Difference

(0.0)

(0.1)

7

2.7

—

2.8

—

—

2.7

—

Difference

(0.0)

(0.6)

(0.1)

(1.4)

(0.4)

(1.5)

4

2.5

—

2.5

—

2.7

—

2.8

—

2.63

—

—

—

2.9

—

3.1

—

2.5

—

1.8

—

2.57

Difference

(-0.4)

(-0.6)

(0.2)

(1.0)

1

1.8

—

1.9

—

1.9

—

2.3

—

1.96

—

—

—

3.1

—

3.1

—

3.1

—

2.5

—

2.95

Difference Averages

(-1.2)

(-1.3)

(-0.2)

(-1.2)

2.47

—

2.51

—

2.66

—

2.79

—

2.61

—

—

2.90

—

2.93

—

2.69

—

1.84

—

2.59

TABLE 5.—Influence of albumen height on consumer quality scores: Analysis of variance (combined data) Source of variation

Degrees of freedom

Height of albumen (H) Associated egg effect (A)1 General order effect (O)2 Special order effect (S)3 H X O interaction AX O interaction Replicates (R) H X R interaction AX R interaction Error

3 3 1 5 3 3 2 6 6 63

Mean squares 5.614** 0.894** 0.009 0.026 0.064 0.097 0.128 0.043 0.059 0.056

1 This item measures the effect of albumen height of one egg on the quality score of the other egg in same pair. 2 This item measures the difference in quality score between all eggs presented first vs those presented second. 3 This item relates only to cases where the albumen heights in a pair are different. It measures the effect of reversing the order of presentation on quality score (over and above General order effect referred to above).

(1957) and the other at the Los Angeles County Fair (1957). 11,452 persons were successfully interviewed for reaction to varying albumen height, approximately half at each location. Earlier work on blood spots was confirmed, showing a decided reaction against blood spots, particularly as the size increased. A mild consumer reaction to eggs of low albumen height was observed. Little difference in reaction to eggs of the upper albumen height classes (10 vs. 7 mm.) Negative reaction was noticeable at 4 mm. and especially at 1 mm. The height of the albumen of the first egg observed in pairs significantly affected the score for the second. Socio-economic status of survey population showed it to be of middle age and moderate income class. It

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—

10

REACTIONS TO BLOOD AND ALBUMEN CONDITION

was essentially white in racial origin; females predominated over males.

vania. Pennsylvania Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 222. Morse, R. L. D., 1951. Rationale for studies of consumer food preferences. Adv. in Food Research, 3 : 386^20. Sanborn, L. D., C. Miller and G. F. Stewart, 1957. Blood spots! To what extent do consumers object. Poultry Processing and Marketing, July, p. 18. Thomsen, F. L., and B. Winton, 1933. Consumer preferences for egg yolk color and shell color in New York City. Missouri Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 329.

NEWS AND NOTES (Continued from page 711) reported the keeping of a poultry flock and instruction in the subject, including breed characteristics and general management. In 1879 a special poultry house was constructed. However the first formal lectures and the first experiments relating to poultry were undertaken by Mr. Jarvis in 189S, having joined the staff of the College on October 1, 1894. The Poultry Department at Macdonald College, Quebec, established in 1907, was the second in Canada. According to W. D. Termohlen, in the "Preliminary Report of the History and Development of Poultry Departments in the State Colleges or Universities of the United States," the first Poultry Department in the United States was established in North Dakota in 1896. In 1880 Maine State College included some lectures on poultry in the curriculum. The Department at the Ontario Agricultural College was originally stocked with some 1SS birds of the following breeds and varieties: Barred Plymouth Rocks (1 male and 8 females), White Plymouth Rocks (number not stated), Silver Laced Wyandottes (1 male and 8 females), White Wyandottes (1 male and 5 females), Golden Wyandottes (1 male and 3 females), Light Brahmas (2 males and 8 females), White Cochins (2 males and 8 females), Partridge Cochins (number not stated), Black Langshans (2 males and 8 females), Black Minorcas (1 male and 9 females), White Dorkings (1 male and 6 females), Black Javas (2 males and 6 females), White Javas (number not stated), Black Spanish (2 males and 7 females), Indian Game (1 male and 6 females), White Leghorns (2

males and 10 females), Silver Spangled Hamburgs (2 males and 10 females), Houdans (2 males and 6 females), White Crested Black Polish (number not stated), Blue Andalusians (1 male and 4 females). It is stated that these "excellent specimens had been bought at an average of about $3 per bird." It is interesting to note that, in the College Financial Statement for 1894, the expenditures of the Poultry Department amounted to $900.00. Of course this was only for part of that year, since the Department was established during the fiscal year. However it should also be noted that, even in their infancy, they were "careful" operators, for in "Notes on Statement" signed by the President of the College, it is stated . . . "I may say that the Farm Proper is entitled to credit from several of the other departments." These he lists and item (3) reads "From the Poultry Department for straw, chaff, etc., some mangels, the hauling of stone for foundations of buildings, and two or three days of man and team grading around the same." Later he also adds "The Horticultural Department is also entitled to credit for . . . , and a large amount of work of man and team in grading and hauling sod and gravel for the Dairy and Poultry Departments." L. G. Jarvis was succeeded by W. R. Graham as Head of the Department in 1899. On his retirement in 1940, F. N. Marcellus became Head. On his death in 1948, the present Head, J. R. Cavers, was appointed.

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REFERENCES Baker, R. L., and A. S. Goldman, 1951. Habits, references and demands of Des Moines consumers. Poultry Sci. 30: 329-339. Corbett, R. B., 1933. A study of consumers preferences and practices in buying and using eggs. Rhode Island Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull., 240. Lininger, F. F., and T. B. Charles, 1928. A study of egg and poultry consumption in Pennsyl-

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