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A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Meat".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2026 | Viewed by 3591

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Dr. Nives Marušić Radovčić

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Guest Editor

Department of Food Engineering, Laboratory for Meat and Fish Technology, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: meat and meat products; meat quality; meat processing; aroma; physicochemical characteristics; sensory analysis; texture; lipid and protein oxidation; poultry and egg quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Helga Medić

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: quality of meat and meat products; aroma; lipolysis; proteolysis; oxidation; poultry and egg quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The quality of eggs, poultry meat, and egg products is vital to the modern food industry, influencing consumer satisfaction and nutritional value. Their production involves breeding, feeding, and processing steps that determine their taste, texture, and composition. Advances in farming and processing—such as improved breeding techniques, optimized feed, and innovative methods—have significantly enhanced product quality, safety, and shelf life. Innovative packaging further supports freshness and extended storage. With the growing demand for healthier, sustainable food, the industry is also focusing on environmentally responsible practices, including resource efficiency, reduced emissions, and improved animal welfare. Food safety and traceability are gaining importance in maintaining the integrity of egg and poultry products. This Special Issue aims to showcase current research on egg and poultry meat quality, highlighting technological innovations, sustainable practices, and evolving consumer expectations that shape production and processing in this important sector of the food industry.

Dr. Nives Marušić Radovčić
Prof. Dr. Helga Medić
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

egg quality
poultry meat quality
egg products
poultry farming
nutritional composition
processing technologies
packaging innovation
sustainability
food safety
consumer trends

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

30 pages, 3625 KB

Open AccessArticle

Quality and Processing Behavior of Egg White and Yolk from Commercial Free-Range and Barn-Laid Eggs: Physical, Compositional and Rheological Assessment in Raw and Heat-Treated (Grilled) States

by María Dolores Álvarez, Victor G. Almendro-Vedia and Beatriz Herranz

Foods 2026, 15(10), 1682; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15101682 - 12 May 2026

Viewed by 255

Abstract

This study evaluated how two commercial egg types (free-range and barn-laid) influence the physical, compositional, and rheological properties of egg white and yolk in raw and grilled states. Free-range eggs showed stronger correlations between external dimensions and internal composition, suggesting potential for nondestructive grading, whereas barn eggs exhibited heavier shells but weaker morphometric–composition relationships. Haugh units differentiated production systems, and yolk redness was the only color parameter clearly associated with free-range origin. Mechanical tests revealed that barn eggs had shells capable of absorbing more energy during rupture. Rheological measurements showed matrix-dependent behaviors: in raw samples, egg white behaved as a weakly structured viscoelastic fluid, while yolk exhibited characteristics of a concentrated lipoprotein emulsion. Stress, frequency, and temperature sweeps revealed contrasting behaviors between the two commercial egg types: barn-laid eggs displayed a stronger egg-white protein network, whereas free-range eggs showed a more reinforced yolk lipoprotein matrix under the conditions evaluated. Yolk behavior fitted the weak gel model with excellent accuracy (R² ≈ 1), while egg white did not. Steady shear and three-step tests confirmed pronounced shear thinning and thixotropic behavior in both matrices, with barn eggs showing higher viscosities but lower structural recovery. Thermal treatment reduced the strong rheological differences between raw egg white and yolk, yet production system effects persisted. All grilled samples behaved as weak gels, with barn egg whites forming stiffer networks and free-range yolks generating more elastic, cohesive, and energy-absorbing gels. A trend toward higher MUFA levels was observed in raw free-range yolks. Microscopy further clarified how production system shapes the structural and functional behavior of egg matrices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quality of Eggs, Poultry Meat and Egg Products)

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17 pages, 363 KB

Open AccessArticle

Dietary Effects of Carotenoid-Biofortified Wheat on Feed Conversion and Tissue Antioxidant Concentrations in Broiler Chickens

by Jan Szmek, Michaela Englmaierová, Miloš Skřivan, Věra Skřivanová, Pavel Horčička and Eva Pěchoučková

Foods 2026, 15(5), 857; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15050857 - 4 Mar 2026

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Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of carotenoid-biofortified Pexeso wheat compared with those of common Tercie wheat on performance characteristics, nutrient retention, and tissue antioxidant concentrations in broiler chickens. A total of 180 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 2 dietary treatments (i.e., Tercie vs. Pexeso), with 6 replicate pens and 15 chicks per pen. Pexeso wheat, characterized by increased lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations, in combination with rapeseed oil as the primary dietary fat source, significantly improved the feed conversion ratio (FCR; p < 0.001), despite not affecting the body weight of the chickens at 35 days of age or feed intake. This improved efficiency was consistent with the significantly increased retention of crude protein (p = 0.004). Specifically, the concentrations of γ-tocopherol (p = 0.006) and lutein (p = 0.004) in the breast meat and γ-tocopherol (p = 0.047), lutein (p < 0.001), and zeaxanthin (p < 0.001) in the liver significantly increased in the Pexeso group. This accumulation was supported by the significantly greater retention of these antioxidants (p = 0.008, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, the inclusion of carotenoid-biofortified Pexeso wheat effectively improved the FCR and enhanced the antioxidant profile of chicken tissues. These findings suggest that Pexeso wheat represents a viable strategy for improving nutrient utilization and the nutritional quality of poultry meat. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quality of Eggs, Poultry Meat and Egg Products)

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25 pages, 498 KB

Open AccessArticle

Production Performance and Properties of Eggs from Hens Fed Diets Differing in Corn Grain Hardness, Vitamin A Supplementation Level, and Mineral Form

by Kristina Kljak, Dora Zurak, Goran Kiš, Zlatko Janječić, Dalibor Bedeković, Helga Medić, Vasil Pirgozliev and Nives Marušić Radovčić

Foods 2026, 15(4), 692; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15040692 - 13 Feb 2026

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Abstract

This study evaluated how corn grain hardness, vitamin A supplementation level, and trace mineral form influence production performance and egg properties in laying hens. In a 2 × 3 × 2 factorial design, 252 Lohmann Brown hens received diets containing soft- or hard-type corn hybrids; 5000, 10,000, or 20,000 IU/kg of vitamin A; and inorganic or organic trace minerals for 63 days. Hard-type corn increased daily egg mass, improved feed conversion ratio, and produced eggs with higher MUFAs and SFAs but lower PUFAs and n-3, resulting in a less favorable n6/n3 ratio, while also increasing susceptibility to Fe-induced lipid oxidation despite lower PUFAs. Increasing dietary vitamin A to 10,000–20,000 IU/kg increased egg weight and shell strength, linearly increased yolk retinol, and decreased tocols, with 20,000 IU/kg markedly increasing Fe-induced MDA formation without major changes in PUFAs. Trace mineral form had minor effects on performance and fatty acid profile. Overall, modest changes in laying hen diet, such as corn hybrid, vitamin A supplementation level, and trace mineral form, significantly modulated egg nutritional composition and oxidative stability. A high dietary vitamin A level may compromise the oxidative resilience of enriched eggs, while interactions of trace mineral form with corn hybrid and vitamin A suggest its potential modulatory role in lipid oxidation pathways. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quality of Eggs, Poultry Meat and Egg Products)

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15 pages, 3156 KB

Open AccessArticle

LC-MS/MS-Based Metabolomics Identifies 2-Aminopurine as a Predictive Freshness Biomarker in Goose Egg Yolk During Refrigerated Storage

by Suyu Fan, Laidi Wang, Yuchun Cai, Hongyan Sun, Wenming Zhao, Guohong Chen, Youqing Bian and Yang Zhang

Foods 2026, 15(3), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15030588 - 6 Feb 2026

Viewed by 513

Abstract

Goose yolk, the primary source of nutrients and flavor, is particularly susceptible to quality deterioration during storage, yet its metabolic dynamics remain poorly characterized. To elucidate these changes, we combined physicochemical assays with untargeted LC-MS/MS metabolomics to systematically profile the temporal metabolic alterations in goose egg yolks stored at 4 °C for up to 60 days, using day-1 yolks as fresh controls. Our analysis quantified 1005 metabolites and identified a critical metabolic shift occurring after 30 days of storage. Among 21 significantly altered metabolites, the sustained decline of adenosine and 2-aminopurine, alongside the accumulation of 4-hydroxyretinoic acid, strongly correlated with the loss of egg freshness. Interaction network and pathway analyses pinpointed purine metabolism—with adenosine and 2-aminopurine as central nodes—as a core pathway impaired in yolk during storage. Crucially, we identify 2-aminopurine as a novel, storage-sensitive biomarker for goose egg freshness derived from yolk metabolomics, directly linking intracellular metabolic dysregulation to observable quality decline. This study deciphers the metabolic landscape of goose egg yolk aging and provides a targeted, mechanism-based strategy for yolk-centric quality monitoring and preservation, offering new insights for food composition analysis and safety assurance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quality of Eggs, Poultry Meat and Egg Products)

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16 pages, 1150 KB

Open AccessArticle

Guess Who’s Back: Persistence and Circulation of Salmonella Infantis on Broiler Farms with a History of Contamination

by Lisa De Witte, Koen De Reu, Maxim Van der Eycken, Joke Van Raemdonck, Nadine Botteldoorn, Filip Van Immerseel and Geertrui Rasschaert

Foods 2026, 15(2), 339; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15020339 - 17 Jan 2026

Viewed by 776

Abstract

For several years, Infantis was the most common Salmonella serovar circulating in the Belgian broiler sector and persisting on broiler farms. To gain insight into its prevalence and circulation on broiler farms in Belgium, five farms (14 flocks) with a S. Infantis contamination history were monitored during two consecutive production rounds. In total, ten sampling events were conducted using moist sponge sticks after cleaning and disinfection, during the delivery of the one-day-old chicks and during production until slaughter or until positive for S. Infantis. Salmonella presence on samples was determined based on the ISO 6579:2017 standard, and the isolated strains were typed using PFGE. The results showed that current cleaning and disinfection practices were unable to completely remove S. Infantis from the farms. Cleaning equipment (3 out of 9 sample times) and the floor (5 out of 10 sample times) were particularly contaminated. Furthermore, external environmental samples were also frequently contaminated (e.g., mortality containers, concrete driveway). During production, 12 of the 28 sampled flocks were colonized with S. Infantis after one week, indicating that S. Infantis quickly spreads throughout the broiler house, which raises the hypothesis that feeding and/or drinking water systems play a critical role in the circulation of the bacteria. This study gives insights into the circulation and difficulty of controlling S. Infantis in persistently contaminated broiler farms, highlighting the importance of thorough cleaning and disinfection and biosecurity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quality of Eggs, Poultry Meat and Egg Products)

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