Analysis of bacterial contamination in chicken egg shells

While eggs are highly nutritious for humans, they are also nutritious for other living organisms, namely bacteria. Just as the yolk provides nutrients to a growing embryo, it is also a nutritional resource for bacterial organisms when they cross the shell and membrane. Additionally, bacteria are often able to survive on the shell and membranes of chicken eggs. Although survival is more difficult in the Albumin (likely due to its alkali nature and the presence of lysozyme), there have been cases of bacterial colonization. Once bacteria find a stable environment, they are able to divide and colonize. Human consumption of such tissue is closely correlated to the instance of food poisoning. In fact, consumption of contaminated eggs is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness in the United States. According to the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine, the CDC estimates approximately 1,200,000 yearly cases of illness due to Salmonella typhimurium (a bacterium commonly found in raw chicken eggs), with various symptoms ranging from a mild, upset stomach to sepsis and death. An outbreak of salmonellosis from egg shells in 2010 affected more than 2,000 people in at least five states CDC.

chicken eggs in trays

GROUP MEMBERS

S/N	NAMES	REG NO
1.	DAUDI, MERULI	FST/E/2014/0068
2.	CHAHE ANGELINA	FST/D/2014/0028
3.	CLEMENCE LILIAN S	FST/D/2014/0085
4.	CHINGILILE CLARA	FST/D/2014/0043