Hygiene and production practices in the egg value chain in Bobo- Dioulasso

Abstract

In Burkina Faso, the egg sector, a major component of the agri-food system, is experiencing marked growth but appears weakly formalized, with heterogeneous hygiene and production practices likely to affect quality and food safety. This study evaluated these practices on chicken eggs (Gallus gallus) in Bobo-Dioulasso. A cross- sectional survey was conducted among 83 actors in the city, supplemented by analyses

on 135 egg samples  for  the  determination  of  pH  by  potentiometry,  the  average  mass and the mass percentage of edible matter by differential weighing. Respondents were predominantly men (61%), had limited training (75%), and operated in the informal sector (94%). Storage at ambient temperature, often with exposure to sunlight and dust, predominated, although 30.77% of wholesalers applied compliant practices. Compliance reached 46.67% among trained actors versus 8.82% among untrained actors. Motorcycles were mainly used by untrained actors (63.46%), whereas tricycles predominated among trained actors (43.08%). Physicochemically, 72% of samples fell into weight class M, the edible fraction represented 86.15%, and mean pH values of the albumen (8.73) and yolk (5.97) were compatible with freshness criteria. Overall, observed practices deviated from regulatory provisions, underscoring the need for awareness-raising and training to improve the quality of eggs placed on the market.