The Deputy Director of, the Monogastric Division, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Victor Egbon says processing raw eggs into powder or frozen liquid will reduce the perennial egg glut in the country.
Egbon communicated this in an interview on Sunday in Abuja.
According to Egbon, the egg is a perishable animal product due to its high moisture and nutritional content.
The director said the egg was vulnerable to microbial attack and nutrient loss, especially during storage.
He said that the egg glut occurred at a period when demand for table eggs fell to alarmingly low levels below what was produced.
Egbon explained that the season of egg glut was usually characterised in Nigeria by a decrease in the number of eggs requested by wholesalers, retailers or consumers, spanning for over one to three months.
He said the glut normally occurred between February and May of every year because people consumed fewer eggs during that period of the year.
Egbon said that the situation had resulted in significant wastage and economic losses.
“Egg glut has become a terrible nightmare for poultry farmers in Nigeria, because it leads to huge losses annually.
“Although, there are techniques for preventing egg quality deterioration and wastage, this is not a sustainable solution.
“Hence, the need for a more sustainable and long – term solution to the challenge of egg glut in the country
“For now, egg processing is the way to go.”
Egbon said that egg powder processing was a value addition procedure that dehydrated it and turned it into powder.
He said that most buyers preferred fresh and larger-sized eggs as the old and small-sized ones continued to spoil on a daily bases.
Egbon said that the powder processing had more advantages over its preservation and storage techniques in addressing glut.
“Processing raw eggs into powder or frozen liquid reduces glut to an insignificant level if it did not eliminate it completely.”
He said that the powder had several advantages which include being a foreign exchange earner and creating job opportunities for people.
“It reduces wastage and increases profit and makes movement and transportation easier and less expensive.
“It promotes steady table eggs production since there is no fear of glut.”
He, however, decried the low utilisation of the powder in the country saying the majority of individual consumers were not aware of the product; to say the least, consuming it.
“However, some companies are reported to utilise egg powder in their products–confectioneries, cosmetics, beverage and pharmaceutical industries fall within this category,” he said.
Egbon said it had been reported that up to 1 billion dollars was being spent annually on the importation of its powder.
He said it was a latent investment potential waiting to be tapped as Nigeria could produce its powder for commercial use.
NAN
