A novel Egg Quality Index as an alternative to Haugh unit score

Abstract An unusually popular index reflecting the quality of the egg contents and known as the Haugh unit (HU) score is empirical in nature. Because of that, a number of studies appeared that contradict or try to improve this index. In this regard, we set a study that pursued several goals: (i) to trace the rationale for developing the HU index and give it a theoretical reassessment; and (ii) based on the assumptions of previous studies in this field, to revisit and refine the index by increasing such its components as the mathematical adequacy and information value. As a result, an alternative index was inferred that we called the Egg Quality Index (EQI) and described using the appropriate mathematical dependencies. This novel index, in addition to the egg weight (W), takes into account the physical properties of the thick albumen (by measuring its height, H) and yolk (by identifying its diameter, d, or height, h). We, then, compared the two indices, HU and EQI, using the simulation modelling approach. The results of comparison of the two indices as applied to a various set of parameters characteristic of chicken eggs suggested a wider potential for using EQI due to the inclusion of an additional parameter reflecting the yolk condition as well as a more accurate distribution of the studied eggs in quality grade groups with various gradations of consumer attractiveness.