Raw eggs, threads and baked chicken skin used by the artist to produce the artwork Eggs showed signs of degradation after 4 years, linked to each specific material and the combination of them. After ageing simulation (49 days) only the baked chicken skin showed various degradation processes that could be evaluated. In order to evaluate the degradation processes by the determination of POV and microbial counts, both destructive methods, the test samples were destroyed.
After ageing simulation during 49 days degradation processes were not detected on the raw eggs, threads and metal basket used to produce test samples of the artwork, even though deterioration processes in those materials eventually will occur without applying preservation techniques when stored over a prolonged period (Table 3). More specifically, oxidation processes, such as corrosion on the metal basket and lipid oxidation on the threads, have to be considered for the preservation of this specific food-based artwork. Applying MAP, excluding oxygen, could prevent those oxidation