372 ANirUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



li^ht. In flii.H rnannf.r the e^^s arc sorted into thf; following i^raflfs: 

 No, 1, practically fresh eggs; No, 2, slightly d^'-terioratco eggs; 

 "cracks" (eg^s with unsound shell but unbroken membrane); 

 "sj>ots" fconsi-iing of partinlly inciibntcd eggs, eggs with yolk 

 adhering to shell, leakers, etc); "rots" (eggs in an advance^l state 

 of decomposition). 



By carefid candling these grades may be subdivided, and in the 

 selecting of s?irrif;h's for rhernical ex;irriiri!ition this was H^jmetimes 

 done, 'J'he first three grarles are considered edible and the last grade 

 inedible, by unanimous consent. As regards "spot" eggs, however, 

 the opinion of packers seems to be divioed. 



In the chemical examination of eggs the, line of work selected as 

 proinising the best criterion by which to jiidge of the relative deteri- 

 oration of eggs and egg prodiicts was the study of their ammoniacal 

 nitrogen c^>ntent, Samfdes of the aboyc-riamed grades of shell eggs 

 and various samf>les of frozen and desiccated f-gg f<rofliiftK v/ere pro- 

 rured through the cooperation of establishments in (Jmaha and 

 'J'opeka, while samples of strictly fresh eggs (less than 24 hours old) 

 were obtainerl from neighboring poultry farms, The ammoniacal 

 nitrogen content of th(;se samples was determined by (he I'Olin 

 method, and the following average results, stat^',d in milligrams of 

 nitrogen per 100 grams of moisture and fat-free substance, were 

 obtained : 



FreMh eKftf* (U;nn thfiri 24 li«iir» oJd)-— ———_—_— 0. Wl 



No. 1 «. 4r, 



No. 2 - 1 1 . 28 



Crackd 12.00 



Spots -_ { ]f, [;!; 



iiotM 2r,o. uo 



I'jgKH of kriowf) Jii^tory: 



3 flfiy ol<l f'.. 21 



4 rljijH old !). 22 



(; r]!iy» o)fl 10. (K) 



14 (Ijiyn old 12. ;J7 



2K (IjiyH old ir*. 7r, 



44 lUtyH ol(l_ _ 1». ).'{ 



It will thus be seen that with the increasing age of eggs, or their 

 deterioration as judged by candling, there is a corresponding increase 

 in their airifrioniar'a! fiiffogen eontent. 



Now, it niay be urged that .such small amounts of ammoniaeal nitro- 

 iren as were found in egg.s are in no wise injuriou.s, that it has not 

 be<^n shown that a high ainmr)nia(-al nitrogfrn content is prfK)f of the 

 prewiKC', of any other harmful decomposition prodiiet, and that 

 ihei-el'fu-e this determination can n(;t be ii.sed as a mean^ of judging 

 the eflibility or inedibility of eggs. 



In t,he, opinion of the workers, however, it appears that this argii- 

 irK'jit fjy no means (hrstroys the utility of the U:h\., for bv 'common 

 consent there, exists among consumers a physie.al standard for eggs, 

 and tJie residts obtained in thew, investigations have shown that egjujs 

 whieh ar" i/ood from a f>hysieal standpoint, are always lower in 

 ammoniaeal nitrogr-n cf>ntent than is the c.a.s(; in thfxse which are of 

 a (juestionable ehaiacter. Therefore it appears that the ammoniaeal 

 nitrogen test may be of much value in det/jrmining whether or not 

 a given sample of eggs has undergone deterioration. 



