260 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



64 VICTORIA, A. 190t 



EXPEEIMENTS IN THE PRESERVATION OF EGGS. 



The folio v^ing interesting results of experiments in the preservation of eggs by- 

 Mr. F. T. Shutt, Chemist to the Experimental Farms, is a continuation of the work 

 begun by him three years ago. Full details of investigation, up to that period, are 

 given in the report of the Poultry Department of last year, beginning at page 223. 

 The results, as given in last year's report, have been widely copied and are yet the- 

 subject of much inquiry. 



Ottawa, December 29, 1900. 

 (The Preservation of Eggs by Frank T. Shutt, M.A.) 



In the report for 1S99 (page 223 et seq.) will be found a record of the results- 

 obtained, in two series of the experiments with certain solutions as egg preservatives. 

 The preservatives employed were saturated lime-water, lime-water plus 10 per cent of 

 common salt, 10 per cent solution of water glass (sodium silicate), 5 per cent glycerine^ 

 and distilled water. The coating of the eggs with paraffin was also tried. After a 

 careful examination of the eggs, including poaching, we concluded that saturated 

 lime-water gave by far the best results. 



During the past year we have repeated several of the above mentioned trials and 

 also tested the efficacy of certain other methods for egg preservation that have 

 received attention from time to time in the press. The experiment was begun on June 

 6, and the eggs examined on December 10. 



Three eggs from each experiment were poached. 



Briefly stated, our results are as follows : — 



A. — Eggs immersed continuously in saturated lime-water. Outward appearance,, 

 excellent ; yolks, non-adherent, of good colour and fairly globular ; albumin, some- 

 what more limpid than in fresh eggs, and slightly discoloured ; a very slight ' stale '' 

 odour ; air space, normal ; poached eggs free from all objectionable taste and of good 

 appearance. 



B. — Eggs first smeared with vaseline and immersed continuously in lime-water. 

 Externally, somewhat darker than the foregoing and rather greasy ; yolk, globular 

 and of good colour ; albumin, a very faint yellowish tint and somewhat limpid ; a 

 verv slight * stale ' odour ; air space, normal ; poached egg very similar to that in 

 'A.' 



C. — Eggs continuously immersed in 2 per cent silicate of soda. External appear- 

 ance good and very similar to that of eggs in lime-water ; yolk, globular and of good 

 colour ; albumin, but very slightly discoloured, almost normal ; marked odour of a 

 * soapy ' character which is further developed in poaching ; air space, normal ; poached 

 egg, of very good appearance, but with faint ' stale ' flavour. 



D. — Eggs continuously immersed in solution of 5 per cent of gum arable and 1 

 per cent formalin. Outward appearance, inferior to those in foregoing tests ; yolks, 

 attached to shell ; albumin, decidedly discoloured ; odour, not marked ; air space, 

 normal ; appearance of broken egg much inferior to those in preceding test ; develop- 

 ing marked flavour on poaching. 



E. — Eggs continuously immersed in 5 per cent gum arable plus 5 per cent sali- 

 cylic acid. Preservative solution quite mouldy and with a very bad smell. Eij-g-shells 

 quite soft. The broken egg, though not unsightly, had a most nauseating odour and 

 was quite unfit for food. 



F. — Eggs continuously immersed in 5 per cent dextrin plus 5 per cent salicylio 

 acid. Preservative solution very mouldy and smelling badly. Egg-shells soft, and con- 

 tents unfit for food. 



G. Eggs dipped momentarily in dilute sulphuric acid, then washed and stored 

 in a large bottle. All exceedingly bad ; contents very offensive. 



