FDBusiness.com

DSM has announced the launch of its new Egg Yolk Pigmentation Guidelines and the addition of a new colour to YolkFan. YolkFan is said to provide a simple means of measuring yolk colour and the addition of a new shade will, says DSM, help producers to cover the demand for highly pigmented yolks in markets like Japan and the Middle East.

YolkFan has been developed from the DSM Yolk Color Fan; recreating the original 15 colours with the addition of a deeper 16th shade. YolkFan is described as an inexpensive and easy tool to use when testing the colour of a yolk and the new shade reflects the tendency towards a deeper yolk colour in several markets. According to DSM, leading digital egg testers now use YolkFan as their calibration standard.

The link between pigmented eggs coming from healthy hens is being recognised widely and, the company says, as a consequence, consumers have begun to ask for a deeper shade of yolk colour. A bright yolk colour can be considered an indicator of the good health status and performance of a flock, so a means to test the yolk colour effectively is required. In order to produce YolkFan, yolks were evaluated sensorially, optically and chemically and the perfect 16th yolk shade was selected by a team of scientists.

“After two years of work and the re-creation of the entire yolk colour range, we are very proud to present the new fan and recommendations for a 16th shade of yolk colour,” said Dr David Nickell, VP of Global Marketing DSM Animal Nutrition & Health. “This development will be fundamental for protecting the investment of egg producers and their customers across the world.”

Royal DSM is a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials.