Spraying hatching eggs with electrolyzed oxidizing water reduces eggshell microbial load without compromising broiler production parameters.

An experiment was conducted to determine whether spraying hatching eggs with electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water would decrease eggshell microbial load and hence improve hatchability, chick quality, and broiler growth performance. Eggs were collected from a broiler breeder flock; half the eggs were sprayed with EO water and the other half were left untreated. Enterobacteriaceae and total aerobic bacteria present on the eggshells of eggs from both treatments were enumerated. The eggs were incubated, and the broiler chicks were grown out to 39 d. Eggshell microbial load was significantly decreased by spraying the eggs with acidic EO water before incubation, with no effect on cuticle structure [as measured by egg weight (moisture) loss], normal embryonic development, and hatchability. Chick quality, as determined by visual assessment and BW at the time of hatch, was also not affected. However, broiler mortality during the first 2 wk of the production period was significantly reduced in the chicks that hatched from eggs sprayed with EO water compared with chicks hatching from control eggs. The ability of EO water to reduce eggshell microbial load without negatively affecting hatchability or chick quality may make it a useful product for hatching egg sanitation.