Haugh unit

Haugh unit is a scale used to measure the quality of an egg. It was introduced by Raymond Haugh in 1937 and is considered one of the most significant measures of egg quality next to other measures such as egg weight and eggshell strength.

History

The Haugh unit was developed by Raymond Haugh in 1937. He was a food scientist who was interested in the quality of eggs. He noticed that as eggs age, the quality of the egg white, or albumen, decreases. This decrease in quality can be measured by the height of the egg white and the weight of the egg. Haugh developed a formula to calculate this measure, which is now known as the Haugh unit.

Calculation

The Haugh unit is calculated using the weight of the egg and the height of the thick albumen. The formula is:

HU = 100 log (h - 1.7w^0.37 + 7.6)

where h is the height of the albumen in millimeters, w is the weight of the egg in grams, and HU is the Haugh unit. The result is a number that ranges from 0 to 110. A higher Haugh unit indicates a fresher egg with a thick, firm albumen.

Significance

The Haugh unit is significant because it provides a reliable measure of egg quality. It is used by egg producers and graders to determine the freshness of an egg. Consumers can also use the Haugh unit to choose the freshest eggs.

Limitations

While the Haugh unit is a useful measure of egg quality, it has some limitations. It does not measure the nutritional content of the egg, nor does it measure the thickness of the eggshell, which can also be an indicator of egg quality. Furthermore, the Haugh unit can be affected by factors such as the hen's diet and age, and the storage conditions of the egg.

See also

• Egg (food)
• Food science
• Eggshell